Shadows of the Past
by ograndebatata
Summary: Well, this is my first "semi-original" fanfic. It speaks about my very own interpretation of what happened in the movies backstory... but it isn't fully consistent with the movies. Whatever, I hope you enjoy.
1. Prologue: Life in the Pride Lands

_Attention please. This one is my first "semi-original" fanfic written in this site. It may contain some resemblances from the stories of another author, TakaPL, but I got his permission for that, and, if you don't believe me, you may ask him. Well, whatever, this one is the prologue for my story. This speaks about things that happened before the first movie, and during the first movie. It isn't fully consistent with the movies, but the timeline is more or less the same, and the main events are the same. Now that's over, let's begin._

**Prologue – Life in the Pride Lands**

/Attention: This one is supposed to be the script of a song. Try to imagine the song on your mind, going as the scenes are indicated. If you find those boring, you may skip them, but I suggest you to pay attention at least to the didaskalia scenes, because some of those scenes may be important. The parts between "/" are the didaskalia scenes./

/"Reaching the sun" song. Tune can be slightly adopted from "Circle of Life", but a little bit different, according to verses. We see that two lions - one giant and very muscled, with golden fur and bright auburn mane, and the other a little bit smaller, with dark golden fur and golden mane – are walking in the circles around the entrance of the cave on Pride Rock, a little bit nervous. The sun is rising. Capture changes to inside the cave, where we see one lioness with browinsh-grey fur, exhausted from labour, cleaning her newborn cub, and another roaring in pain while she gives birth. Some sunlight enters the cave. Song begins./

_Since the sun rises over the horizon_

_And its light begins day on these lands_

/Capture changes to the savannah. We see several animals waking up, like zebras, wildebeest, and baboons./

_We must wake up from sleep_

_For our life-pace to keep_

_Walk the road that everyone stands_

/Camera changes to the edge of a wood. We get a capture of a male warthog with crimson fur trying to protect an already injured female warthog – her fur is pale-grey – and her young piglet – with black fur – from a lion and a lioness. The lion has mahogany fur, black mane, green eyes, and a scar over his left eye. The lioness has sandy fur, a brown dorsal stripe, a long muzzle, red eyes, and a missing bit on her right ear./

_Even morning could be so exhausting_

_As we run to reach the midday sun_

/The male warthog charges at the lion and the lioness, who charge back at him. When they are almost colliding the felines jump over the suine, right on the last moment./

_Sometimes futile attempt_

_/_When the warthog manages to stop his charge, he turns around to see that the lion already caught the female, the lioness already caught the piglet, and they are running away. The warthog tries to chase them, but he gives up after some steps, and sits down at the shade of the wood, deeply depressed/

_Cannot change our friends' end_

_And some fights simply cannot be won_

/Camera changes to the open savannah, and we get a picture of a herd of zebras grazing. Suddenly, a leopardess comes out of the grass, and charges at the zebras, who are still sleepy and take time to react. It's enough time for the leopardess to pounce one of the adult males./

Chorus:_But still have to run_

_To keep heartbeat on_

/The zebra is big enough to be a hard fight for the leopardess. But the leopardess is also tough, and the fight becomes more intense. There are some moments when the leopardess seems about to be hit dangerously by the zebra's hoofs./

_Ready to chase the sun_

_Until its light is gone_

/The persistence of the leopardess rewards her when she jumps to the throat of the zebra. Camera temporarially goes away, and when it focuses on the leopardess again, the zebra is already dead./

_Master at least our race_

_Running to survive_

/The three cubs of the leopardess come to meet their mother, and when they are almost biting the dead zebra, camera goes away./

_Laugh the death in face_

_As we still could rise_

/Camera changes to some place much drier than the Pride Lands, and we see all the members of meerkat colony digging in the sand, as usual. A young male meerkat with red hair, a female meerkat with orange hair, and an aged male meerkat with grey hair are among them./

Second verse:_You must still move your legs, wish to go on_

/Capture changes to an incredibly dry place, only with barren rock, termite mounds, and occasional plants. We get a picture of a lioness with black fur hiding her cub – a small male, with fur as dark as his mother's – in a small rock cave. Right after that, some twenty hyenas appear. The cub is out of reach of the hyenas, but the lioness is in clear trouble./

_Every stop could _be_ final and done_

_Because moment you fall_

/The hyenas begin attacking the lioness, she tries her best to protect herself and her cub, but the hyenas are winning. They bite the lioness, like if they are eating her alive./

_For other could be call_

_As your death also brings life to some_

/Suddenly, three lions, one of them with grey fur, red mane, and red eyes, and two younger ones: one with brown mane, sandy fur, and brown eyes, and the third iddentical to the second, but with a dark spot on his nose, appear on the place. The hyenas run away with they see them./

_As the ones you once have left behind_

_Those who tried to avoid Nature's call_

/The two second males turn to the dying lioness, who looks at them with almost dead eyes, and dies shortly after. The young males seem confused, as if they are unable to know what to do with her./

_See - when you feed your kins_

_Knowing Stars let you win_

/The red-maned lion looks at the small cub inside the cave, who hugs him and seems to accept him as father./

_But for some They were not large at all_

/The two younger males seem confused when they see their leader picking the cub by the scruff, but when the leader looks at them, they simply nod and follow him, leaving the dead lioness behind./

_But it sometimes relieves_

_Us from hardest quests_

_As the others got worst_

_You might win what's the best_

/Camera changes back to the Pride Lands, and we see a herd of buffalos drinking. Suddenly, a crocodile comes and bites a big male, trying to take him to the water./

Chorus:_ Even we don't dissevered_

_For the second chance_

/The buffalo doesn't seem to make any particullar effort, and the crocodile, despite trying his best, is not able to move the buffalo not even one inche./

_We will win or die_

_There's no repence_

/The buffalo waves his head, releases his head, and slashes the crocodile under the jaw with one of his horns. The crocodile runs back to the water, leaving it a little bit dirty with blood./

_There is no second place_

_Just finishing goal_

/The crocodile comes back at the surface, looking at the buffalo with a scared look./

_You will run as hell_

_To reach heavens door_

/The buffalo turns back to the camera, and all the herd goes away. Song finishes. Sudden cut to black./


	2. Chapter 1: Two newborn cubs

Alright, this one here is the first chapter of my fanfic, considering that the last one was the prologue, and not an actual chapter

_Alright, this one here is the first chapter of my fanfic, considering that the last one was the prologue, and not an actual chapter. Whatever... I do not own The Lion King, nor it's characters. Any character that has appeared in the movies is copyrighted to Disney._

_Ahadi (male), Chumvi (male), Kula (female), Sabini (female), Leo (male) and Mega (male) are copyrighted to the authors of a book series titled "The Lion King: Six New Adventures". Tojo (male) is copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "The Orphaned Birds". _

_Tarki (male) and Sakia (female) are copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use them. _

_Penda (female) is copyrighted to a fan-artist named Tandi, and Safura (female) is copyrighted to another fan-artist named Nadra. Koza (male) and Kianga (female) are copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "Shooting Star", being two of the annoying cubs appearing there, but the names are copyrighted to the fan-artist Vekke._

_Ajizi (male) Moyo (male) Kimya (female) Jani (female), Uzuri (female), Fani (female) Sena (female) Hiari (female), Mimea (female) and Wingu (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that this long list is over (sorry, but I give a big importance to credits stuff) let's begin the chapter. I hope you enjoy._

**Chapter 1 – Two newborn cubs**

Two lions were lying down in front of the entrance of the cave of Pride Rock, the home of the lions that lived on the Pride Lands. One of them was giant and very muscled, had golden fur, brown eyes, and bright auburn mane, and his name was Mufasa. He was the current king of the Pride Lands. The other was a little bit smaller, had dark-golden fur, blue eyes, golden mane, and his name was Moyo. Currently, both were waiting for news. Mufasa's and Moyo's mates, Sarabi and Sarafina respectively, were – curiously – having their cubs almost at the same time. Both were looking at the cave's entrance with deep concentration, like if looking to the cave's entrance made one of the lionesses to come out of the cave with good news to give.

"You know, Moyo…" said Mufasa suddenly.

"Yes, Mufasa?" asked Moyo.

"I've been asking myself… will I be a good father?" said Mufasa.

"Of course." answered Moyo. "I'm sure you'll be a good father. I'd like to say the same about me."

"Why?" asked Mufasa.

"I'm not exactly the ideal person to take care of someone." replied Moyo. "I mean, you saw when Jani tried to let Tojo to stay with me, but Tojo ended up hurt… again…"

"It wasn't your fault." said Mufasa. "Tojo shouldn't have tried to pounce that mouse into those nettles. The mouse escaped, and Tojo got a terrible urticaria, or, better to say, he would've get, if Rafiki hadn't take care of him."

"But I was taking care of him." said Moyo. "I should've stopped him from jumping. And I should've seen those nettles."

"Don't blame yourself, Moyo." said Mufasa. "I'm sure that you'll be a good father."

"Well, one thing is for sure." said Moyo. "If I will be a good father, then you will surely be a good father."

"I'm not so sure of that…" said Mufasa. "Be a father and a king at the same time might be difficult."

"But you'll do it." said Moyo. "I know that you can do it. Now… how about if we go for a walk? I'm sure that we should look well when our mates have their new cubs."

As a matter of fact, Moyo wasn't interested in getting out of there, but he didn't want to get nervous again.

"Maybe you have a point there." said Mufasa. "Let's go."

"Yes, you will go." said one voice behind them. "You will go to see your cubs."

They turned back, and saw Uzuri, the oldest member of the pride, a lioness with pale yellow-brown fur, and blue eyes. She said, before Moyo or Mufasa asked anything: "Don't worry, both your mates are alright. But about the cubs' looks, you'll have to see for yourselves."

"Thanks, Uzuri!" said Mufasa happily, while he and Moyo ran to the cave.

Right after Mufasa and Moyo's disappearance to inside the cave, a lion cub, came back to the cave, looking depressed. He had dark-goldenrod fur, blue eyes, and his name was Tojo.

"Hello, Tojo." said Uzuri.

"Hello, lady Uzuri." said Tojo.

"So, did you manage to catch that mouse?" asked Uzuri.

"No." said Tojo, with an even sadder voice. "I had to feed on grubs to cheat my hunger. But what I really want now is my mother's milk. May I come in?"

"Yes, Tojo, you can come in." said Uzuri.

Tojo, without saying one more word, ran to the cave.

"Children." said Uzuri with a smile.

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Meanwhile, inside the cave, Mufasa and his mate Sarabi were looking to a small male cub. A beautiful cub, with golden fur. Sarabi's younger sister, Sabini, and Sarabi's mother, Penda, were there alongside them.

"He's really cute." said Penda. "I have a really cute grandson. Congratulations, my dear."

"He is a beautiful cub." said Sabini, looking at the golden lion cub. "I have a beautiful nephew. Congratulations, Sarabi."

"Thanks a lot, mom and Sabini." said Sarabi. "For that, and for supporting me during the cub's birth."

"It was nothing." said Sabini. "You did the same with me."

"It's mother's duty to help and support her daughter." said Penda.

"The cub is really cute." said Mufasa.

"Only as much as his father." said Sarabi.

"Oh… you're embarrassing me." said Mufasa, blushing.

"I'll leave you alone." said Sabini, walking away.

Penda soon follows her.

"So, what is the cub's name?" asked Mufasa.

"I was hoping that you would give him the name." said Sarabi.

"Oh… alright." said Mufasa. "Let's see… I'll name him Simba. What do you think?"

"I think it's a beautiful name." said Sarabi.

Mufasa and Sarabi nuzzled each other.

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Meanwhile, on another part of the cave, Moyo was looking to a small female cub that Sarafina was holding in her paws. Sarafina's mom, Safura, was also there looking to her granddaughter.

"You have a really cute daughter, my dear." said Safura.

"It's a cub as beautiful as his mother." said Moyo.

"You embarrass me." said Sarafina, blushing.

"It's the truth." said Moyo.

"You're not sad because it is a girl, are you?" asked Sarafina.

"No, of course I'm not sad." said Moyo. "I wanted a boy… but who knows… maybe next time… by the way, what will be her name?"

"I like the name Nala." said Sarafina. "And you?"

"It's a perfect name" said Moyo.

On another part of the cave, Tojo was drinking his mother's milk. But he was drinking more milk than normally, which surprised Tojo's mother, Jani, because Tojo wasn't a particularly hungry cub.

"What's going on with you, Tojo?" asked Jani. "You normally don't drink all that milk."

Tojo said some words with his mouth full, but Jani couldn't understand any of them.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Tojo." said Jani.

Tojo swallowed, and said: "I was hungry today, and I had to drink a lot of milk to wipe off the taste of those grubs."

"What grubs?" asked Jani. "Did you eat grubs?"

"I was hungry!" said Tojo. "Half of the lionesses were inside, supporting lady Sarabi and lady Sarafina, and the other half was out hunting! So, I had to eat something."

"Oh… now I understand." said Jani.

"Speaking about lady Sarafina, may I see her cub?"

"If she lets you, of course." said Jani.

So, Tojo walked slowly to Sarafina and Nala.

"Uh… hello… said Tojo."

Moyo and Sarafina looked at him, and started laughing.

"Uh, what is so fun?" asked Tojo, embarassed.

"You have milk on your muzzle." said Sarafina.

Tojo wipes the milk with his paw, and says:

"Uh… lady Sarafina, may I see your cub?"

"Yes, but don't make noise." said Sarafina. "She is sleeping."

Tojo came in to look, and said: "She's cute. What's her name?"

"Nala." said Moyo.

"It's a good name." said Tojo.

"Uh… Tojo, could you make me a favour?" asked Sarafina. "Could you go see Sarabi's cub, and tell me what does the cub looks like?"

"Yes… but I don't know if she'll let me see the cub." said Tojo.

So, Tojo came close to Sarabi and Mufasa, trying to see the cub.

"Hello, Tojo." said Sarabi. "What do you want?"

"Uh… may I see your cub?" asked Tojo.

"Yes, you may." said Sarabi.

"But don't make noise." said Mufasa.

So, Tojo came close, and saw the cub.

"What's his name?" asked Tojo.

"His name is Simba." said Mufasa.

"Oh… thanks." said Tojo, and he went back to Sarafina.

"So, what did you see?" asked Sarafina.

"The cub's name is Simba. He is a male."

"Thanks, Tojo." said Sarafina.

Then, Tojo runs back to his mother.

At that moment, a lion named Leo who was Sarafina's brother, a female cub named Kula, and her brother Chumvi entered in the cave. Leo went to see Sarafina.

"Hello." said Leo, entering the cave.

"Hello, Leo." said Sarafina, nodding to her brother.

"Hello, honey." said Safura, nodding to her son.

"May I see your cub?" asked Leo, coming close to Sarafina and her child.

"Here she is." said Sarafina, pointing with head on sleeping newborn cub.

"Oh, she looks a lot like you when you were a cub." said Leo, looking on the tiny female cub with interested.

"How do you know that, genius?" asked Sarafina, with an annoyed, yet fun, voice. "You were born at the same time than me. How could you know about what I looked like as a cub?"

"I have the best memory in the world." said Leo.

"So, what did you eat at lunch two days ago?" asked Moyo, with a playful, and at the same time mocking, expression.

"Well…" said Leo. "It was…"

At the next moment Leo sighs and bows his head, realizing that he was caught.

"The best memory in the world, huh?" asked Sarafina, chuckling.

"Well, I'd like to know how's the others' memory." said Safura. "But Leo is right. She looks exactly like you when you were a cub."

"Don't mind with him." said Leo's mate, Fani, who was passing by. She looked at Leo with an annoyed look, but at the same time she looked fun. Then, she turned to Sarafina, and asked: "May I see your cub, Sarafina?"

"Sure." said Sarafina.

Leo and Fani saw the cub, and, after saying congratulations, they went to their part of the cave, to play with their daughter Sena. Safura walked away shortly after.

Meanwhile, Kula and Chumvi were drinking their mother's milk, and their mother, Wingu, waited patiently. Tojo came to talk to them.

"Hello, Tojo." said Chumvi.

"Hi, Chumvi." said Tojo. And he said to Wingu: "Hello, miss."

"Hello." said Wingu. "Uh… Kula… you have a visit."

Kula was so focused in drinking the milk that she didn't hear Tojo speaking with her brother and her mother. But, after Wingu insisting more, she realised Tojo was there. Then, Kula got up. Kula had a small crush on Tojo, and Tojo also had one on Kula, but they both had shame to tell it.

"Sorry, Tojo." said Kula. "I was hungry."

"You're always hungry, Kula." said Wingu.

"Now, does any of you wants to play with me?" asked Tojo.

"Well, I do." said Kula.

"I'll go to play with Hiari." said Chumvi. "Maybe Tojo's grandfather has some story to tell me and her."

And so, Tojo, Kula, and Chumvi went out of the cave, Chumvi left Pride Rock, and Tojo and Kula began playing tag.

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Shortly after, Tojo's grandfather, Mega, arrived at Pride Rock. Chumvi and Hiari, Sabini's daughter, were behind him.

"Hello, grandpa." said Tojo.

"Hello, Tojo." said Mega. "Having fun?"

"Yes." said Tojo. "I went to see lady Sarafina's cub and queen Sarabi's cub, and now…"

But, before Tojo could finish his sentence, Mega ran to the cave.

"What happened to him?" asked Kula.

"Maybe your grandfather is getting old." said Chumvi.

"Sshhh." said Hiari. "You're being rude."

Inside the cave, Mega came close to Sarabi, who was sleeping, and anxiously tried to see the cub.

"Not now, Mega." said Mufasa, stepping in front of him. "See him later."

"How does he looks like?" asked Mega, with an anxious tone, while trying to look around Mufasa.

"Well, why?" asked Mufasa.

"How was the birth?" asked Mega, with his voice getting more anxious by the word.

"Why?" asked Mufasa. "And anyway, don't ask it to me. Ask it to one of the lionesses that were with Sarabi during the cub's birth. To your daughter, for example."

Without saying one more word, Mega ran to Jani, who asked, a little bit worried: "What's going on, father?"

"How is Sarabi's cub?" asked Mega, panting. "How was the birth?"

"Why do you want to know that, father?" asked Jani, thinking that is strange for her father to ask that question.

"Could you just tell me?" asked Mega, annoyed and impatient.

"Oh… alright…" said Jani. She doesn't understand why her father wants to know that, but tells him: "The cub is golden, and the birth in itself, was… well, a bit hard, but nothing special, really. He is a big cub."

"Oh… OK." said Mega, calming down, and lying down.

"But what's happening to you father?" asked Jani, with a worried look.

"Nothing dear…" said Mega. "Maybe it's me having weird behaviours because of age, or maybe it's me missing your mother too much…"

But that wasn't the real truth.

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"So, you do you think my new brother looks like?" asked Ahadi to Mega, in a time when they were both young cubs. On that time, Ahadi was a small cub, with golden fur, green eyes, and a black head-tuft that would become a black mane. Mega was a little bit older than Ahadi, had brownish-orange fur, brown eyes, and an orange head-tuft that would become an orange mane. Mega and Ahadi were the best friends of the world. They grew up very far from the Pride Lands. The cubs didn't have a pride of their own, living only with Ahadi's parents, Ajizi and Masa, who planned to start a pride of their own. Mega had been found by them and adopted by them when he was very young, after losing his real parents. In spite of the rather sad past, Mega was a happy cub.

"I don't know, Ahadi." said Mega. "Maybe it isn't a brother, but a sister."

"I hope it is a brother." said Ahadi. "Wait here. I'll see if it is a brother or a sister, and then we can play again."

So, Ahadi went inside the cave. Then, Kimya, a female cub, who also had been adopted by Ahadi's parents, approached.

"Hello, Mega." said Kimya. "Where's Ahadi?"

"Hello, Kimya." said Mega. "Ahadi went inside to see his new brother, or sister."

"Well, when he comes back, we can play again." said Kimya.

But they waited for a long time, and Ahadi didn't come out of the cave. So, Mega and Kimya decided to go to inside the cave to see Ahadi. They found him and his father, crying, alongside Ahadi's mother, Masa, who was lied down, and a small cub with rust-brown fur and black eyes, lying down near to her. They just couldn't understand why Ahadi was crying. So, they went to Ahadi, and Kimya, who was a very impatient cub, asked: "The cub is a boy? What's his name?"

"Tell us." said Mega.

But Ahadi was crying endlessly. So, they turned to Ajizi, Ahadi's father, and Ajizi started to talk, between sniffs, understanding what they wanted to know.

He managed to say: "The cub is a boy… his name is Tarki… but… the birth was too difficult… both mother and cub died…"

With those words, Ahadi cried even more while Kimya hugged him. Mega bowed his head, with no words. Ajizi approached Ahadi and hugged him. Ahadi began crying more than ever in his father's paw.

"Cry, Ahadi." said Ajizi. "Normally helps."

Ahadi looked at the poor cub Tarki, and said, with an unrecognizable voice: "It's because of you that mom is dead!"

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Mega still remembered of that day. The view of Ahadi crying… the view of Ahadi's mother dead… the view of the poor cub Tarki who hadn't even began to live…

"Probably…" he thought. "If Tarki had survived, things would have been a lot different… but maybe I wouldn't have come to the Pride Lands with Ahadi, and then Jani would have never born, and I would never have a grandson as good as Tojo is."

But Mega was brought back to reality by Jani's voice.

"Father, don't come again with the nonsense that you're getting old." said Jani, a little bit annoyed. "But for missing mother… I also miss her… but life continues… if I ever get the ones who killed her, I swear that they'll be sorry for having born."

The last words were said with such a feroucious tone, that, if voices could kill, everybody in the cave would be dead. At that moment, Jani got up, and said: "I'll go hunt down something for us to eat."

Then, Jani got up, and went outside with fast steps. Mega looked at her, and thought: "She isn't the same since the day when Mimea died."

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While coming out of the cave, Jani met a lion with mahogany fur, black mane, green eyes, and a scar over his left eye named Scar and a lioness with sandy fur, a brown dorsal stripe, red eyes, and a missing bit on her right ear, named Zira. Both of them had the typical look of someone who ate enough. Jani looked at them for some seconds, and then she left, running.

"I wonder what happened to her." said Scar, with an intriguing tone.

"Probably she thought again about her mother's death." said Zira. "And, after all, you know that the mistake was yours."

"I didn't order them to kill Jani's mother!" whispered Scar, annoyed. "In fact, I told them that they could hunt in the Pride Lands as long as they didn't harm a lion."

"But they ended up killing your father and Jani's mother." whispered Zira back. "So, you did a mistake by convincing your father to let them hunt in the Pride Lands."

"Are you saying that I should have let them dying from hunger?" asked Scar, starting to get mad.

"I never said that." said Zira.

"Because, if you remember well, we both know what hunger is. Remember when we passed that month together, when we were just cubs?"

"Yes." said Zira, in an almost dreamful tone. "That was the most wonderful time of my life."

"Wonderful?" asked Scar, amazed. "We were cubs; we had to hunt for ourselves when we were just cubs."

"But, in change, we had a wonderful time together." said Zira, with a more dreamy and dreamy tone.

"Yeah…" said Scar, starting to get more relaxed and dreamy as well. "I remember when you put those flowers around you like a cap and the butterflies on your tail. Why don't you do it again?"

"I'm an adult." said Zira, ashamed. "I would look ridiculous."

"Even more than you were looking at that time?" asked Scar, trying to annoy her.

Zira blushed, but recovered quickly and said: "But you liked." and licks Scar's cheek. Scar blushes as well.

Then, Zira pinned Scar on his back, and they looked at each other. It wasn't not for long until they heard a voice chanting: "Mr. Scar and Miss Zira, sitting on a tree…"

"…and kissing!" concluded another voice.

Scar and Zira looked around, and saw two cubs, one male and one female, named Kianga and Koza respectively. They are the most annoying cubs of the whole pride, but they are never offensive, and can be nice when they want.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" asked Scar, releasing himself from Zira. "Like to play with the crocodiles?"

"We've done that yesterday." said Kianga. "They almost bit us."

"And mom said that, if we did that again, we would have to hunt down our own meals for a week." said Koza.

"I had to do that for a month when I was around their age." thought Scar.

"Oh, by the way…" said Kianga. "Your nephew has already born, Mr. Scar. His name is Simba."

At that moment, Scar looked like he had been hit with a mace on his head. That was the only thing that he wanted to hear at that day. Without answering, he went to inside the cave, with Zira following him.

"Was it something that I said?" asked Kianga, a little bit confused by Scar's attitude.

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Inside the cave, Scar looked for Sarabi. He saw her sleeping. He came close to see the cub, but Mufasa stepped in, and says: "Don't come close. Sarabi needs to sleep."

"I don't want to come close to her anyway." said Scar. "I just want to see the cub. Get out of the way."

So, Mufasa reluctantly got out of Scar's way. Scar approached and saw Simba. When he saw Simba, it seemed the worst moment of his life. He felt like if everything had been stolen from him. He managed to ask: "So this is your new cub?"

"Yes." said Mufasa. "The future heir of the Pride Lands, and you must respect him, because he is your future king."

"Only if I pay homage to him." thought Scar, looking at Mufasa with a look full of hatred. "As long as I don't pay homage to him, I don't consider him future king. I don't consider you king, and I never considered father as king. The only one who I considered as king was Grandpa Mohatu."

Without saying a word to Mufasa, Scar moved to his part of the cave, and lied down. Zira watched him for a short moment, and then left the cave, with a disappointed look.

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Some seconds before Zira leaving the cave, Sakia, another lioness from the pride, with grey fur and blue eyes, came in the cave. She looked at Zira during some seconds, and then went to meet Scar.

"Hello, Scar." said Sakia, approaching from Scar.

"Hi there, Sakia." said Scar, without looking at her.

"What happened to you?" asked Sakia, lying down at Scar's side. "Why are you like that?"

Scar didn't answer to the question, and simply nodded his head towards Sarabi and Simba. Sakia looked as well.

"Oh… I see…" she said, in a voice that showed some understanding for the reason why Scar was like that.

"Because of him, I shall never be king." said Scar, in an angry voice.

"Why do you still want to be king?" asked Sakia, a little bit shocked and surprised. "You should consider yourself lucky. You can have a more relaxed life if you're not the king."

"Yes… but Mufasa allows too much to his past to rule him. And I'm sure that, in less than a month, Mufasa will make some of the female cubs to be betrothed to Simba."

"I never agreed with that." said Sakia. "Simba should be allowed to choose his mate."

"But I'm sure that Simba will be betrothed to someone very soon." said Scar.

"Why that betrothing thing disturbs you so much?" asked Sakia.

Scar gave her an angry look, and Sakia said: "Oh… I see… you liked Sarabi, but because she was betrothed to Mufasa almost from the moment she came to the pride, you never had a real chance with her…"

Scar simply nodded.

"Well, in that case I'll give you an advice. Mufasa and Sarabi love each other. I don't know if they loved in the beginning, but now they love each other. I suggest you to give a chance to the lioness that loves you. And I can see that you love her as well. About being king, I know that you would make a better king than Mufasa, and honestly I was always hoping that you would be the chosen one to be king (until the day of your mother's death, that is) but now there's nothing you can do, except to unite with the lioness that loves you."

"I only didn't do anything with her… because I was hoping that Mufasa would decide to take another lioness as his mate and Sarabi would be free… but you're right. Mufasa and Sarabi love each other. Even if they didn't love at the beginning, now they do. But who is the lioness about who you were speaking?"

"Zira." said Sakia. "You love her, she loves you… do I have to say more?"

With those words, Sakia got up, looked at Scar one last time, and retreated. Scar looked at Sakia coming out of the cave, and thought: "I'm lucky to have her as friend. I think that I'll follow the advice, and mate with Zira. Maybe we'll have some sweet looking cub, like Sarafina's cub… by the way, I haven't seen Sarafina's cub yet. I think I should go see her, after she gets some rest, that is. But about there's nothing that I can do to be king… I'm afraid you're wrong about that, Sakia. There is something that I can do to be king."

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If you're reading, please review. I need feedback.


	3. Chapter 2: A warthog's banishment

_Well, this is my new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Gwasi (male) Mbango (male) Nina (female) Tisa (female) and Dogo (male) are my characters and are not to be used without my permission. Now that it's over, let's begin the chapter._

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**Chapter 2 – A warthog's banishment**

While in Pride Rock there was birth, new life, and many good feelings for the two newborn lion cubs, there was sadness and grief about the death of someone to some miles from Pride Rock. On the edge of a small wood, it was a warthog, sitting down with his head bowed, and with a deeply sad expression, almost bursting in tears. The warthog's name was Pumbaa.

He looked to the grass, almost like if he expected to see someone coming out from there, while he tried to forget some terrible memories.

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While all the members of the sounder were feasting on grubs, termites, and grass, following one of the most basic instincts of a warthog, one of them, which was Pumbaa, had heard a low growling.

Pumbaa lifted his head, and looked around, trying to understand if there was danger for someone. Then, the wind blew on his direction, and he felt a scent, brought to him by the wind. It was lions' scent. One, at least. He should be some fifty meters away.

"RUN!" shouted Pumbaa. "There are lions there!"

"Ignore him." said the leader, Gwasi, a particlarly big and muscled warthog, with black fur, and an aggressive look. "We can see no lions there. Pumbaa is lying. He's just trying to cause chaos on the sounder."

"But, Gwasi…" said Pumbaa, trying to convince him. "There are lions hiding in the grass! We have to run to the woods!"

"SHUT UP!" shouted Gwasi to Pumbaa. "You're lying! There are no lions there! You just want to cause chaos. You have always caused chaos since the day you were born, because you stink!"

"Calm down, Gwasi." said Mbango, an old warthog, with black fur, and Gwasi's dad. "Pumbaa might have mistaken himself. We all commit mistakes."

"But dad…" said Gwasi. "We can not allow Pumbaa to cause chaos on the sounder! On the sounder that your father created!"

"There are lions there! Run!" shouted Pumbaa again, almost in panic.

At that moment, Nina, a female warthog with pale-brown fur, and Gwasi's mother, lifted her head to see what's on the horizon, and, just by coincidence, saw the top of a black mane coming from the grass, just thirty-five meters away.

"A LION!" shouted Nina. "Run to the wood!"

All the sounder instantly turned around and ran in the direction of a wood, too dense for most of the predators. At that time, a lion with rust-brown fur, black mane, green eyes, and with a scar over his left eye, came out of the grass, and started chasing the sounder. The sounder was almost reaching the wood, and the lion wouldn't be able to reach them there. But, at that time, just ten meters away, a lioness with pale brown fur, brown dorsal stripe and red eyes came out of the grass, and also started chasing the sounder. The sounder turned to the left, trying another way to the dense wood, but in the confusion, Dogo, one of the young piglets, with black fur, slipped and fell on the ground.

His mother, Tisa, who had pale-grey fur, felt the fall of her son, and stopped. She tried to help her piglet to get up, but the lions caught up with them. Tisa stood between the lions and her cub, ready to fight 'till death. But the lions came near Tisa, and Tisa prepared to charge to the lion. The lion lifted his right paw, exposing his stomach. Tisa was almost charging. If she managed to hit the target, the lion would die. But, on the second before Tisa began the charge, the lion slashed Tisa's left shoulder with a terrible strenght. Tisa felt something inside her breaking, and an excruciating pain. Tisa fell on the ground, almost unconscious while the terrified Dogo tried to hide behind his mother.

The lion came closer, ready to kill Tisa and have his meal.

But, just as the lion was about to kill Tisa, he heard something. He turned his head to the left, and stepped back, right on time to avoid Pumbaa's furious charge. Pumbaa stood between the lions and Tisa.

"Run… and take… Dogo…" whispered Tisa, before she lost consciousness.

Surprised by the newcomer's unexpected arrival and bravery, the lion and the lioness stepped back some meters.

"He's brave…" said the lioness. "I've never seen or heard of a warthog attacking two lions."

"A lion and a lioness to be exact." said the lion. "And the warthog is quivering with fear, see that."

But, even quivering with fear, Pumbaa was standing bravely between predators and preys. Suddenly, the lion and the lioness began whispering to each other, something that Pumbaa couldn't hear.

"You run away, Dogo. I'll slow them down." said Pumbaa.

"Not without mommy!" shouted Dogo, terrified, trying to wake up his mom. "Mom… get up… please…"

Then, the lion and the lioness began charging at Pumbaa. Pumbaa had no time to think. If he did, they would die all. So, Pumbaa also charged at them. He knew that this would most certainly be his end, but probably he would seriously injure the lion and the lioness if he hit them.

But, surprisingly, in the last moment before the collision, the lion and the lioness leaped over him, and Pumbaa was at such a high speed that he took long to stop. When he stopped, it was too late. The lion had caught Tisa, the lioness had caught Dogo, and they ran away. Pumbaa tried to catch them, but he stopped shortly after, because he knew that it was too late.

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He had failed. He had failed in protecting one of his best friends. He felt incredibly miserable. What kind of warthog was he? He had been incredibly stupid when he fell on the lion and the lioness's trick. They earnt food, and Pumbaa lost two friends. Two of his best friends. What could possibly happen from worst?

But, suddenly, Pumbaa heard a sound. A sound of branches cracking under running paws. Pumbaa knew what would come next. He stepped aside in the last moment, only to avoid Gwasi's furious charge. Gwasi stopped, and looks at Pumbaa with a deeply furious expression. Pumbaa became even more scared.

Suddenly, more warthogs, including Mbango and Nina, came out of the wood, and they all faced Pumbaa, until the whole sounder, with around twenty-five adult warthogs, was facing Pumbaa. Gwasi and most of the members were furious at Pumbaa, and a few, like Mbango and Nina, seemed between disappointed and comprehensive. However, Gwasi looked at Pumbaa with such furious eyes, that, if looks could kill, Pumbaa would be dead. However, Pumbaa recognised a "glimpse of triumph" in Gwasi's eyes.

"You… murderer…" said Gwasi while he looked at Pumbaa.

"Why I am a murderer?" asked Pumbaa, although he knew the answer that Gwasi would give him.

"You killed my mate and my son." spat Gwasi. "You bring too much trouble to our sounder. And so, I say that you are banished from the sounder. If we see you here again, we'll kill you!"

"Yeah!" shouted a brown warthog without his right ear, and with a big scar on his face. "Get out of here! You bring bad luck to the sounder!"

"But…" said Mbango. "You're being unfair, Gwasi. The lions killed Tisa and Dogo. Not Pumbaa."

"Your father is right!" shouted Nina. "Pumbaa is not the responsible for that! You should congratulate him, for trying to protect your mate and son!"

"And besides…" said Mbango. "They were YOUR mate and son, not Pumbaa's. Why didn't YOU protect them?"

"Shut up!" said Gwasi. "Pumbaa, Pumbaa, Pumbaa, it's always Pumbaa! Ever since the day you found him!"

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"Mommy!" shouted the small piglet Pumbaa. "Daddy! Where are you? Come back, please! Don't leave me alone!"

The young piglet Pumbaa was lost. He had gone to sleep under a bush, and, when he woke up on the next morning, their parents had gone. Pumbaa had no where to go. His parents didn't live in a sounder, they were solitary, trying to make up their own sounder, or joining to another.

He had been wandering during two days. Now, he was hungry, and on the verge of collapse. He could drink in waterholes, but he was too young to look for food for himself.

Suddenly, Pumbaa turned around, and saw two golden eyes looking at him from the high grass.

"Uh… who's there?" asked Pumbaa.

Suddenly, a cheetah came out from the high grass. Pumbaa tried to run away, but it was useless. The cheetah was a lot faster than him. While he looked back, Pumbaa saw the cheetah approaching at an amazing speed. He knew he was lost, unless he could reach the bush that he was seeing.

When he tried to enter the bush, he bumped into something. A male warthog got up, and asked: "What's happening?"

The cheetah stopped suddenly. A healthy male warthog was too strong for a lone cheetah. The cheetah ran away, with a scared expression and at that moment, the warthog sees Pumbaa.

"What happened, little one?" asked the warthog with a small smile. "Where are your parents?"

"I have no parents." said Pumbaa, crying. "They were gone two days ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" said the warthog, comprehensive. "By the way, my name is Mbango, what's yours?"

"Pumbaa." said Pumbaa, slightly happier.

"Uh… do you want me to take you back to your sounder?" asked Mbango, in an attempt to help the cub.

"You can't." said Pumbaa, getting sad again. "I have no sounder."

"Why?" asked Mbango, with an eyebrow raised in amaze

"I lived alone with my parents." said Pumbaa. "They planned to join to another sounder, or to create their own."

"Oh…" said Mbango. Then he had an idea, and said it: "Do you want me to take you to my sounder?"

"Why?" asked Pumbaa, surprised.

"We will take care of you." said Mbango, smiling. "Don't worry, come with me."

Pumbaa followed Mbango, a lot happier.

When Pumbaa and Mbango came to the sounder, all the members looked at Pumbaa, surprised. Among them, were a female warthog with pale brown fur, and a piglet with black fur. The female and the piglet approached from Mbango.

"Fortunately you're back, Mbango." said the female warthog.

"Who's the piglet?" asked the black piglet looking at Pumbaa ferociously.

"This is Pumbaa." said Mbango. "Pumbaa, these are my mate Nina, and my son Gwasi."

"Nice to meet you." said Pumbaa.

"The same for me." said Nina, smiling.

"GET OUT!" shouted Gwasi, looking at Pumbaa with a ferocious expression.

"Gwasi!" said Mbango. "Pumbaa has no mother and father, I found him, and we have to take care of him."

"THAT ISN'T MY PROBLEM!" shouted Gwasi, even angrier. "Banish him! Besides, he stinks!"

"I won't!" said Mbango. "I won't banish him! The talking ends here."

Mbango and Nina retreated. Gwasi looked at Pumbaa, and said: "My father won't banish you, but I suggest you to be really careful, because, when I'm an adult, I'll banish you at the first sign of bad behaviour."

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Now, Pumbaa knew he would get banished. And the better for him was to accept this. During the last years, Gwasi had tried to turn against Pumbaa all the warthogs from the sounder that he could. He managed to do it to most of them. Now, if Pumbaa didn't went away, Gwasi and his friends would surely hurt the other members of the sounder.

"You have no right to banish Pumbaa." said Mbango, angrily. "He did nothing wrong."

"He did…" said Gwasi, beginning to get crazy. "He joined to our sounder. And now you're not the leader of the sounder, father, so you have no power to keep him here! I'm the leader, I can do whatever I want. And I will banish Pumbaa! And I will kill every warthog that is against me in that decision!"

At that statement, all the warthogs got scared. Even those who were obviously at Gwasi's side began to get scared. Pumbaa said: "I don't want anyone to suffer because of me. I will get out of here!"

"It's the smartest decision you've made since the day when you joined to the sounder!" shouted Gwasi.

And so, Pumbaa turned to his right, and entered in the wood. He looked one last time to Mbango and Nina, and then he ran away, to never return.

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After being at a safe distance from the sounder, Pumbaa entered in a mud pool in the middle of the high golden grass, and lied down. He still couldn't believe that all those things had happened to him. His friend Tisa dead… Gwasi banishing him from the sounder… all had happened too fast to be real. He couldn't believe yet.

"But why am I surprised, anyway?" asked Pumbaa to himself. "Gwasi always wanted a reason to banish me. Now he had it, and he banished me. He didn't even care about Tisa and Dogo."

When Pumbaa thought about them, he began crying again. But he had no time to think about that. He couldn't really get out of the Pride Lands… he had no where to go… but he would get out of the usual feeding and drinking places of the sounder.

"Why am I surprised?" asked Pumbaa to himself. "Well, it's all part of the Great Circle of Life."

Then, Pumbaa got up, and, covered in mud, disappeared in the high grass.

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_What did you think? I never saw Pumbaa's life before he met Timon in any fanfic... so I made my own version. What do you think? Please, review! I need feedback!_


	4. Chapter 3: The meerkat colony

_Well... after some encouraging comments from reviewers... I'm keeping the publishing of this story. On this chapter, all the characters are copyrighted to Disney, including Fearless Buzz, who is a character cut from the final version of The Lion King 1,5: Hakuna Matata. Most of this is novelisation of an excerpt of the movie... except for one short scene. But this fanfic also mixes the two movies. Now that it's over, let's begin._

Edit: I've just made a small correction, because one reviewer kindly pointed one small blooper that I had done.

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**Chapter 3 – The meerkat colony**

/"Digga tunnah." song. Is like the one seen in the movie, but also has an extra verse, that was cut from the final version. We can see an almost completely desert landscape, with some herbs growing, and a lot of holes on the ground. Suddenly one meerkat comes out, and a lot of them follow him, until the screen seems full of meerkats. As they come out, they begin to sing./

_What was that?! Shh!_

_What was that?!_

_What was that?!_

_Where? What?_

_Where? Where? Shh!_

_What was that?_

/Camera changes to two meerkats that are on sentry duty, looking for predadors, like hyenas. The camera focuses on one, but allows seeing the other a little further./

_Quick before the hyena comes._

/Camera changes to focuse on the other meerkat. The other meerkat shouts "Clear." The others come in the holes. We see meerkats digging down and in diagonal./

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/The meerkats digging in diagonal of the screen come off screen, but other meerkats appear, digging holes for the diagonal in the opposite direction, that cross with the previous ones./

_When you're done you dig a bigger tunnah_

/The meerkats begin digging just for down./

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/Camera changes to meerkats carrying stones and small logs. One of the smallest tries to help three adults carrying one of the small logs./

_Quick before the hyena come_

_DIG_

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/Camera changes to the main tunnel, and from the ceiling of that tunnel come out the previous digging meerkats./

_You can dig and never get done_

/The digging meerkats begin digging the ground of the tunnel. The singing keeps going. The parenthetical parts are some counterpoint singing./

_Digga tunnah (Dig a little faster)_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/A lot of meerkats comes out of their holes, asking in unison "What was that?" They look at both sides./

_Quick before the hyena come_

/They come into their holes and song continues. Camera changes to a particular meerkat carrying a stone./

_Sing the ballad of Fearless Buzz_

/The meerkat comes out of the way, and we see a drawing on the wall of the tunnel. The drawing is of a meerkat with a challenging expression./

_Bravest meerkat there ever was_

/Camera changes to two meerkats, carrying a small log./

_Said no meerkat should have to hide_

/The two meerkats come out of the way, and we see another drawing in the wall of the tunnel. This time, Buzz seems to be outside, shouting to meerkats half-hidden in their borrows./

_Wiped his paws off and went outside_

/Camera changes to another meerkat carrying a stone./

_Fought a fearsome hyena back_

/The meerkat comes out of the way and we see a drawing of Buzz fighting a hyena with a stick./

_Beat him 'till he was blue and black_

/Camera changes to another drawing. We see six hyenas baring their teeth at Buzz./

_But he forgot hyenas won in the pack_

/Camera steps back a little bit. We see a lot of meerkats griefing at the memory of Buzz./

_Meerkat bravey was meerkat snack_

/Camera changes to a lot of meerkats in line, as they pass stones to each other./

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

_When you're done you dig a bigger tunnah_

/Camera changes to a meerkat with red hair – that we recognize as Timon – who isn't doing anything and is particularly sad./

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/A lot of meerkats come out from holes on the ceiling and on the floor, and ask: "What was that?" They look at both directions. Song continues./

_Quick before the hyena comes_

/The meerkats come back into their holes. More other meerkats walk through the tunnel./

_Digga tunnah is what we do_

/The first meerkat grabs a stone, and the others keep passing it to the other who is behind him./

_Life's a tunnah we're digging through_

/More meerkats come out from the wall of the tunnel, leaving holes behind./

_Digga tunnah is what we sing_

/Camera steps back a little bit, and we see more meerkats carrying a small log./

_Digga tunnah is everything_

/Some meerkats carrying three small logs come to a corridor./

_Mud and clay are a meerkat's friend_

_Always more around every bend_

/The meerkats put the logs upright, showing that the logs are to help to keep the tunnel normal. Some meerkats come into the scene, dancing./

_And when you get to your tunnah's end_

_Hallelujah, let's dig again_

_DIG!_

/Camera changes to another line of meerkats with each one passing a stone to each other, always in the same direction. The parenthetical parts are some counterpoint singing./

_Digga tunnah_

_Dig, digga tunnah (Digga tunnah)_

_When it's done you dig a bigger tunnah_

_Digga tunnah (Dig a little faster)_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

/A lot of meerkats come out from holes on the ceiling and on the floor, and ask: "What was that?" They look at both directions. Song continues./

_Quick before the hyena comes_

/Camera changes to a fat female meerkat with orange hair – that we recognize as Ma - who is walking between the meerkats, but in the opposite direction. Song finishes./

"Timon", called Ma. She tried to ask to other meerkats: "Have you seen my son? Has he been through here?"

But no meerkat paid attention to her. Ma then turned to her uncle, Uncle Max, who was carrying a stone while he kept singing: "Digga tunnah, dig, digga tunnah".

"Uncle Max?" asked Ma.

Uncle Max got startled, dropped the stone, and shrank into himself with a terrified expression.

"Uncle Max, relax." said Ma. "Have you seen Timon?"

"No, I haven't." said Uncle Max, calming down. "And what a day it's been. No fractures, no lacerations, no concussions, contusions, or injuries or any sort."

Ma seemed to get more annoyed as her Uncle Max kept going, but she didn't say anything.

"As a matter of fact, there's no sign of Timon's handiwork anywhere!" concluded Uncle Max happily.

But, in the second after, Uncle Max got sorry for having said that, because a crack that extended to all the length of the tunnel was opened in the ceiling. The whole tunnel crashed. In the end, there were a lot of meerkats coming out from the sand. No one of them was happy, but Uncle Max was by far the most annoyed.

"That… would be… TIMON!" shouted an almost uncontrolled Uncle Max, as all the meerkats began looking at Timon, who was grabbing the only thing that left from the tunnel: a ring of dirt held up on a narrow protrusion.

"Hey, everybody!" said Timon, embarassed, trying to smile, but deep inside he knew that everyone was disappointed at him.

"Nice work, Timon." said a meerkat with ochre fur and brown hair, in a sarcastic tone.

"Way to go, tunnel klutz." said a meerkat with pale golden fur and black hair, with an annoyed voice.

"Who else could break a hole?" asked a meerkat with ochre fur and brown hair to himself, in a voice that is somewhere betwenn sarcastic and desperate.

"Four in one week, a new record!" said a meerkat with brown fur and blond hair, in a completely desperate tone.

"Not again." said Ma in a resignate tone.

"What?" asked Timon. Then, he added, in a defiant tone. "It's called a skylight!"

Then, the "skylight" crumbled to nothing, leaving the other meerkats even madder at Timon.

"Wow, isn't that creative?" asked Ma, dusting Timon off. "A skylight."

But, as the meerkats got angrier, Ma realized that discretion is the best part of valor, and grabbed Timon by his right arm, leading him to outside the collapse scene, saying: "I'll just have a word with him."

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"I was just trying to shed a little light on our pathetic existence." said Timon with a sad voice while Ma led him to outside the collapse scene.

"Timon, this can't go on." said Ma, when they finally got away from the collapsed tunnel, arriving to a zone that has some grass growing on the ground, but all of it is yellow and dry.

"Just this month, you've pulled down four walls and collapsed two tunnel exits." continued Ma. She licked her left hand, and began combing Timon's head, before returning to the talk: "We have to look after each other. Our survival depends on it."

"But what's the point of this?" asked Timon nervously. "All what we do is dig so we can hide, and hide so we can dig!"

Ma had finished combing Timon's hair, but, shortly after Timon stopped talking, his hair poofed up into a bunch of spikes.

"I wanna be where we don't have to dig tunnels and live with our heads stuck in the sand!" said Timon, putting his hands on his head and putting his hair to the normal position. Then, he opened a gap in the high grass, and asks loud: "What's so bad about dreaming of a better home?"

"I wanna show you something." said Ma, joining to Timon in the gap that he opened in the grass. She continued: "Look, Timon. Come on, look!"

Timon looked, and saw a panoramic view of his homeland, a relatively dry place with some half-dry grass growing on the ground, and some sparse trees. Timon looked beyond.

"Look out the horizon, past the trees, over the grasslands."

As Ma kept speaking, Timon looked, with a growing smile and a more and more dreaming look.

"Everyting the light touches… belongs to someone else!" concluded Ma sharply.

Timon got really disappointed and bored by the end of the sentence. He closed the gap that he opened in the grass, and said to Ma: "Funny, I thought you were going to a whole different direction with this."

"What can I say? It's nature's design." said Ma, while leading Timon to another place.

But suddenly, Uncle Max appeared from the grass, and shouted: "She's right, we're food for the other animals – a moveable feast! Feared by no one and eaten by all!"

While he shouted, he was grabbing Timon by his shoulders, while shaking him from one side to another.

"But when they die, they become the grass, and we eat the grass, right?" asked Timon, hopefully.

He didn't even know why he thought about this, probably some last resource to keep the meerkats connected with the other animals in another way that wasn't being eaten.

But Uncle Max destroyed his hopes by saying: "Not exactly; we can't digest grass. We're grass intolerant."

"Thank you, Uncle Max." said Ma, while snatching Timon away from his granduncle. Then she said to Timon: "Honey, I…"

But Uncle Max didn't allow her to finish the sentence, as he appeared from another stand of grass, and shouted: "Meerkat… is what's for dinner!"

"Thank you, Uncle Max!" almost shouted Ma, with an increasingfully sarcastic tone, pointing somewhere off into the distance.

Uncle Max groaned, but finally understood the message, and disappeared.

"I think Uncle Max dislodged one too many rocks with his skull." said Timon, poking his head with his finger.

"But he's right, Timon." said Ma. She started combing Timon's hair again, and then said: "I just know there's a way for you to fit in here."

Ma grabbed a bug that was flying close, squashed it into hair gel, and began putting it on Timon's hair. When she finished, Timon glowered from under his plastered down hair. Then, a single hair sprang back up again, and Timon sighed.

Then, Uncle Max's voice shouted from somewhere: "All right, who's on sentry duty?"

When she heard that, Ma perked up with inspiration, gasped, and said: "That's it! My son on sentry duty! Timon the sentry!

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"TIMON THE SENTRY?" shouted a terrified Uncle Max after being told of the idea by Ma. "Why don't you save the hyenas the trouble and kill me now? Just kill me now!"

"He has a point." said Timon, making Uncle Max to cover his face with his hands, terrified.

"All you have to do is watch for the hyenas and yell if you see one." said Ma, trying to calm them down. "Look at Iron Joe."

But if that was pretended to be the way to calm them down, it failed slightly, because when they looked at Iron Joe, he was in the middle of a nervous breakdown, shouting: "Don't close your eyes! Don't look away! Somebody's gotta guard us! Somebody's gotta protect us!"

In the end, he fell in the arms of other two meerkats, who took him away, while he sobbed persistently.

"Now I'm convinced." said Timon sarcastically.

"Listen…" said Ma, in an another attempt to cheer them up. "It's outside, up in the breeze, under the wide open sky, isn't that what you wanted?"

Then, she turned to Uncle Max, saying: "Or maybe you would rather have him go back on the digging crew."

"No!" shouted Uncle Max, Timon, and the whole colony.

Ma, Timon and Uncle Max turned their heads around to see that the other meerkats were looking at them, listening contently. When they realized that they were discovered, they began pretending nonchalance and clearing their throats.

"Good." said Ma. "Then we all agree. Timon, listen to Uncle Max. He'll teach you everything you need to know." Then she concluded earnstly, just to Timon: "And honey… try to make this one work."

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"Scurry, sniff, flinch!" shouted Uncle Max, while demonstrating the action. "Scurry, sniff, flinch! Scurry, sniff, flinch!"

However, Timon was unimpressed, and barely paid any attention to Uncle Max.

"Good." said Uncle Max, concluding the demonstration. He came close to Timon, and asked: "What do we do if we see a hyena?"

"Scream: Mommy?" answered Timon, trying to guess.

"That's right mister…" said Uncle Max. "… because the world out there is fraught with danger. Fraught, I tell you!"

"Oh, boy, it's the Fraught Fest." said Timon sarcastically over Uncle Max.

"Even all bloodthristy hyenas are waiting there waiting for rip us limb from limb." shouted Uncle Max, pantoming furiously.

"Bra-vo, Uncle Max." said Timon, applauding sarcastically. "Way to sell it to the cheap sits."

"Appauld now, sonny boy…" said Uncle Max, grabbing Timon's hands, and looking him right on the eyes, with his nose really close to Timon's nose. He then stepped back, and concluded: "But try clapping when you don't have any hands."

Then Uncle Max left Timon and went away.

Timon gulped, looked at his hands, and for once, he decided to take up his responsibility, and being on sentry. He took up his position on the rock.

"Scurry, sniff, flinch!" said Timon, while doing the actions that he said. "Scurry, sniff, flinch!"

Then, Timon realized that he liked the sound of that, and of the movements that he made, and said: "I like the sound of that."

He began dancing, while repeating: "Scurry, sniff, flinch." four times.

/"That's all I need" song. It's like the one seen in the movie. Timon begins singing./

_There's more to life than panic_

_And being some other guy's snack. Yuck!_

/Three hyenas – that we recognize as Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed – pop up from behind a rock in the background./

_I may be delicious, organic_

/The three hyenas disappear, and Timon makes some fighting movements./

_But this little entree's fighting back!_

_I'm gonna put digging tunnels behind me_

/Timon begins climbing a tree./

_And live at a new altitude_

/Timon climbs 'till the top of the tree. He arrives to the top, with two hand-fulls of leafs./

_I'm gonna reach the stars to remind me_

/Timon throws the leafes to the air./

_That meerkats are not merely food!_

_For once I'll be…_

/Timon's imagination begins working, as he jumps on a cloud, and the cloud begins moving on the sky./

_Lookin' out for me…_

/The moving cloud leads Timon to some big clouds, that hide a paradise of some green paradise with waterfalls, and lots of green trees, way different of Timon's home./

_Yeah! I'll tell you what I want_

/Timon jumps from the cloud to the waterfall, and begins surfing on it./

_This cat's moving on_

_He's a bon vivant_

_Who's missin' out on bon_

/Timon arrives to end of the waterfall, gets floating in the air for some moments, and dives in the water./

_I'd be a bigger cheese_

_Far from the desert scene_

_A little cooling breeze _

_A little patch of green_

/Timon swims inside a swarm of coloured fishes. They transform in coloured butterflies, who slowly come out of the way, revealing a coloured butterfly as Timon keeps singing./

_And I'll be snoozing in my hammock_

/The last butterfly comes out of the way, revealing Timon in a hammock with a drink, while two peacocks who are waving their tails to cool down the singing Timon/

_By a ripping stream_

_Many miles from any tunnel_

_And the digging team_

/Two huge bugs appear in front of the camera and block the view of Timon./

_Looking after the number one _

_Will be my only creed_

/Camera steps back, revealing lots of bugs, and Timon is under them. His eyes and mouth can be seen./

_That's all I need_

/Timon slurps all the bugs./

_That's all I need_

/Camera steps back even more, revealing that Timon slurped only a small part of the bugs. He is on the top of a "mountain of bugs" and begins making tap dancing while he keeps singing./

_I've always been good at running away_

_Well, now I'm gonna run the show_

_I've always been seen as the ultimate prey._

/The background imagined by Timon disappears, revealing that he was on the top of the rock during all the time./

_But now my status ain't so quo_

/Camera zooms forward, and we only see Timon, part of the rock, and some of the sky behind the rock./

_A dream sublime_

/Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed appear around Timon./

_It's hyena time…_

/Suddenly, Timon becomes aware that the three hyenas surrounded him, and gets panicked. Song finishes./

"Oh, look, it's dinner with a show!" said Shenzi, clapping.

"And I thought beans were the only musical food." said Banzai.

Ed simply laughs stupidely.

Timon, on the other hand, is completely paralysed. He never thought that he would have to see those three hyenas again, ever since that day.

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"Dad, why do meerkats have to live hidden in the sand?" asked a younger Timon to his father, Buzz, commonly nicknamed Fearless Buzz.

A big hyena with two round cuts on each ear, and a merry smile had just appeared, but it had been stopped by the meerkat who was on sentry duty, and all the meerkats managed to hide in the den. However, the hyena was still on the outside, walking around, and waiting for any meerkat that would come out.

"I can't answer to that question, son." said Buzz. "Well, it's the Circle of Life. We have to hide, simply, and that's over."

"Don't tell me that you like to hide?" asked Timon, with a little bit annoyed voice.

"No, son, I don't like to hide." said Buzz, sighing. "In fact, if it was for me I would have left the meerkats colony a lot of time ago… to some beautiful place, outside, a place where I didn't have to hide or get worried."

"Why didn't you go?" asked Timon, getting curious.

"Well, I met your mom, I fell in love with her… and then I suggested her that we would leave to the beautiful land that I described you. But she refused."

"Why, dad?" asked Timon, without understanding.

"Well, I wanted to go, but your mother was pregnant of you." answered Buzz. "Then, she told me that we would raise you here on the meerkat colony, and one day, when you had enough age, we would all go to the paradise that I described you."

"Stop putting such nonsense in the head of the poor little guy!" shouted Uncle Max, who was passing by. "He's just a kid! Do you want him to be as crazy as you?"

"I'm not crazy, and my son won't be crazy!" shouted the furious Buzz. "What's so crazy about wishing for a better life?"

"Meerkats wishing for a better life is against the Circle of Life!" shouted Uncle Max. "Big animals can wish for a better life… like if they don't have one good enough already… BUT MEERKATS HAVE TO LIFE THIS LIFE, AND CAN'T CHOOSE!"

"That's a lie!" said Timon. "We can choose! We are living creatures, with brain, paws, organs, senses, and emotions! Like all the other animals! If the other animals can wish for a better life, why can't we?"

"Because we are small!" shouted Uncle Max. "Big animals can choose, small animals have to accept their lives, and live them, even if they don't like it!"

"That's not true!" shouted Buzz, getting more and more furious. "No meerkat should have to hide! And I'll prove right now! I'll go outside, fight that hyena, and, if I defeat him, you will have to recognize that meerkats don't have to live hidden in the sand!"

"No, Buzz!" shouted Ma, trying to stop him. "Don't go!"

"Relax, dear." said Buzz, smiling at her. "I will return."

And so, Buzz came out of the den. The hyena saw him, and attacked him, but Buzz avoided the attack, and bit the hyena's tail with all the strenght that he had. The hyena squeaked, and then Buzz grabbed a stick from the ground, jumped on the hyena's back, and started hitting the hyena with the stick. The hyena squeaked for each time that the stick hit him, and tried running away, but without result.

Buzz, thinking that is enough, jumped from the hyena's back, and assumed a heroic position. All the meerkats had been watching him.

"Maybe Buzz is right." said Uncle Max, thinking. "Maybe meerkats don't have to hide."

"Uncle Max, if that is so, why don't you apologize to dad?" said Timon, smiling at him.

All the meerkats came back into their holes, and Uncle Max went to apologize to Buzz.

"Well, Buzz…" said Uncle Max, seeming to be shameful. "I… want… to…"

"Strange." said Buzz, seeming that he didn't hear Uncle Max. "The sky got darker."

"I want to apol…"

"AAAH!" shouted Buzz, seeming terrified.

"What?" asked Uncle Max.

Then, Buzz, who seemed unable to speak, grabbed Uncle Max's head, and turned it up, and he could see why the sky got darker. Three huge hyenas were above them. The one that Buzz had defeated, and two more. Two males, and one female. Three more hyenas were waiting slightly further.

"What is the one who defeated you, Ed?" asked the female, looking to the one that Buzz had defeated.

Ed pointed to Buzz.

"Alright then, let's eat him." said the other male.

Then, the three hyenas threw their jaws to Fearless Buzz, and the poor meerkat disappeared in them. Terrified, Uncle Max barely managed to run to the nearest hole, and dive in it.

"What happened, Uncle Max?" asked Ma, where. "Where's Buzz?"

"Well…" said Uncle Max. "Buzz… is dead. The hyenas ate him."

"Oh, no…" said Ma.

She began to cry on Uncle Max's shoulder, while Uncle Max tried unsuccesfully to confort her.

"At least, tell me that Timon hasn't seen anything!" said Ma.

"I'm sorry…" said Uncle Max. "But he saw everything. He was outside, watching me trying to apologize to his father, and probably saw everyhing."

Ma ran to her son, who is looking on the horizon with seemingly dead eyes.

Ma hugged him, and then Timon reacted, asking: "What the hyenas did to dad?"

"I'm sorry, Timon." said Ma, hugging her son more and more. "They killed him."

Finally, Timon began crying in his mother's shoulder.

"I promise that I'll never let anything happen to you." said Ma.

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Timon's constant memory of what had happened to his father, and his mother's overprotective-ness had worked to keep him in the meerkats colony. Since that day, he had never seen those three hyenas again.

Now, to believe that he was actually seeing them again was like his worst nightmare come true. He had to warn the colony, but he only managed to say: "Hy-hy-hy…"

"Well, hi to you too!" said Shenzi, hitting Timon, and sending him rolling down the hill, agaisnt Uncle Max.

Uncle Max got on the ground for some time, but then he took Timon off him, and said: "This is no time for horseplay, Timon! You're supposed to be up there looking for…"

Then Uncle Max looked up, and sees the hyenas approaching, snickering.

"…Hyenas!" concluded a terrified Uncle Max.

All the meerkats popped up in terror, looking at the hyenas, and they all ran around in a chaotic dash for cover, while screaming with fear.

"Whoa, look at'em scramble." said Banzai.

"And that's just how I like them." said Shenzi.

A line of meerkats led by Uncle Max crashed onto Shenzi's snout.

"Scrambled." said Shenzi, before slurping Uncle, Max, lifting him to the air.

"And a little bit runny." she concluded, dropping Uncle Max.

While all the meerkats were running around, trying to escape the hyenas, Timon was static, covering his hand with his arms, paralysed with fear. But, for some reason, the hyenas ignored him, and turned to the other meerkats. Realizing that, Timon sighed at relief, but stopped when he felt himself being pulled.

He tried to grab the ground, but without success. He was pulled to inside one hole, where he realized that was his mom who pulled him.

"Get in here!" shouted Ma. "What are you, a meshugginah?"

"Your father died because of that!" she wanted to add, but she stopped in the last moment.

Meanwhile, on the outside, Ed was guarding a hole. He repeatdly tried to snap every meerkat that comes in the hole, but missed all of them. However, he blocked the hole before Uncle Max could come in. Uncle Max was terrified.

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Inside the den, Ma called for every meerkat, to see if everyone was there.

"Stumpy?"

"Here!"

"Flinchy?"

"Here!"

"Swifty?"

"Here!"

"Oh, what a relief. Everybody's…" started to say Ma, but then she gasped when she realized something, and shouted: "Where's Uncle Max?"

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Uncle Max was outside, trying to run for his life while the three hyenas pursued him. He ran to a second tunnel entrance, where lots of meerkats appeared and gasped at the sight. They all began to shout the most varied things to Uncle Max, like "Run for your life!" or "Play dead." or "Andale!" or "Almost there!" and even "You've got it, Max!"

But it was too late. Uncle Max was overtaken by the hyenas, and all the meerkats shielded their eyes as they heard crunching sounds.

They all came back inside the den, where they stayed, standing in shock, as, suddenly, Uncle Max dropped from the ceiling, falling in the middle of the meerkats, and without the fur of his tail. He got up, and said: "I flinched when I should've scurried." and then collapsed again.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed abandonned the place, and seemed somewhat satisfied with themselves, in spite of having captured anything.

"It just never gets old, does it?" asked Banzai.

"Oh, the classics never do, honey!" said Shenzi.

But, inside the den, everybody was angry at Timon, without listening to his attempts of apologizing.

"I… uh… I guess I owe everyone an apology." said Timon. But no one seemed to forgive him, so he tried a different technique: "All right, so I made a teensy mistake. Like we all haven't broken into song on sentry duty before. Come on. Let me have a show of hands."

But all the meerkats wandered off, disgusted, and Timon tried to change tactics again, by saying: "Okay. …Maybe it's a little too soon, but I'm sure we're all gonna laugh about this someday. Trust me!"

All the meerkats were looking at Timon severely, except Ma.

"I did trust you." said Uncle Max.

"But…" tried to start Timon after a pause, but he realized that he couldn't continue.

All the meerkats filed out after a while, except Ma. Timon sighed.

Some time later, Timon was outside, sitting in the rock, and watching the sunset. Ma was watching him, and, after a short moment, she approached Timon.

"Aw, sweetie." she tried to begin, but Timon didn't let her conclude.

"I'm never gonna fit in here. Nobody even likes me."

"Sure they do, honey!" said Ma, trying to cheer him up. "Sure they do."

"Besides you, Ma." said Timon, a little bit annoyed.

"Besides me…" said Ma, thinking. "There's…"

"I have to find my place, but it isn't here." said Timon, getting up.

He prepared to go away, but Ma hugged him, and said: "Yes, it is. We just haven't found it yet. But we will…"

She released Timon, but began combing his hair again, while saying: "Oh, here's an idea. You can run a trail…"

"Stop with the hair already!" said Timon impatiently. "My place is out there, Ma. I may not know exactly where, or how far, but I gotta go!"

In fact, the idea had returned to him since the time when the three hyenas had attacked. The hyenas brought up the memory of his father's death, but also the memory of the promise of a better life that his father had done to him. And in mind, he had already decided. His father could be dead, but he would look for a better life eitherway, and, if Ma didn't want to go, he would go alone.

However, Ma didn't want to leave her son go that easily, and tried one last idea.

"No, wait, wait, wait." said Ma. "I know. If we just..."

"Ma!" said Timon, sternly.

Then, Timon began leaving, without saying another word. Ma was silent for some time, then she said: "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for, honey."

By hearing that, Timon smiled, and turned back to hug his mom, for one last time.

"Oh, I love you." said Ma, in a motherly tone.

"I love you, Ma…" said Timon.

The hug lasted for quite a long time. Timon released Ma, but Ma kept hugging him tighter and tighter, saying: "Oh, Timmy. My Timmy."

"Mom… choking… not breathing…" said Timon, but Ma only hugged him tigher and tigher. Timon concluded: "And people wonder why I have issues."

Finally, the hug ended.

"I'll be okay." said Timon in a reassuring tone.

"I know you will." said Ma wistfully. "You will."

Ma slowly let go Timon's hands, and Timon began walking away from Ma. But Ma didn't want her son to leave without some advices.

"Be careful!" shouted Ma.

"I will." replied Timon while walking

"Don't talk to strangers!" shouted Ma, in a less distinguishable tone.

"I know, Ma!" said Timon while walking.

"Remember, wash behind your ears!" shouted Ma, in an even less distinguishable voice.

"MA, I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE!" said Timon, stopping, and then keeping walking.

"Never go swimming without a buddy!" shouted Ma again:

"I know!" replied Timon.

"And send us a message!" shouted Ma, but that shout was undistinguishable to Timon.

"What?" asked Timon, turning around.

"I said, send us a message!" shouted Ma.

"What?" shouted Timon, without hearing the scream again.

"I said, send us a…"

"Goodbye, Ma!" shouted Timon, turning around and walking.

This time, it was for good. He would leave the meerkats colony, he would fulfill his father's last wish, he would find his paradise home, no matter what dangers he had to come through.

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_So, what did you think? I thought that this was the most logical explanation for what happened to Timon's dad. Please, for all those who are reading this, review! I need opinions! _


	5. Chapter 4: The princess

_Well... here comes another chapter of my fanfic. This one is the fourth chapter. Alright... for those who do not know, Tama (female) is copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "Trouble in Paradise". _

_Uru is copyrighted to the writers of a book series called "THe Lion King: Six New Adventures". Mohatu is cpyrighted to the authors of a book called "The Brghtest Star"._

_Tibuka (female) and Chafua (female) are fan-names for two cubs copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "Dirty Cub." However, their fan-given names are copyrighted to the fan-artist Vekke, and I have her permission to use them. The Green Den is a place copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use it. _

_Hamu (male), Laini (female), Alama (female), Asumini (female) and Timiza (female) are my characters and are not to be used without my permission. Now that it's over, let's begin the chapter._

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**Chapter 4 – The princess**

Mega was lying down outside the cave of Pride Rock, watching the Pride Lands at sunrise, after passing the whole night without managing to sleep. The birth of Simba in the previous day awoke too much bad memories in his mind.

He only hoped that Mufasa and Sarabi would never have another cub, because the second, and sometimes only even the first cub, brought problems to Mufasa's family many times in the past. And Mega had watched them all with his own eyes. Mufasa's family was like his own family during much time, ever since he was a cub. Ahadi's parents, Ajizi and Masa, had found him when Masa was already pregnant with Ahadi, and decided to adopt him. Mega was so small when he was found that he had no recolection of who was his real family.

During a lot of time, Ajizi and Masa were like parents to Mega, eventhough he always knew they weren't his real parents, and when Ahadi was born he was like a brother to Mega. Shortly after Ahadi's birth, Ajizi and Masa found a female cub, named Kimya, and they all lived together like a happy family.

But, when Tarki, Ahadi's younger brother, died… all came down…

"I should stop living in the past…" said Mega. "If I was brave enough to tell my past to this pride, surely a lot of things would have been avoived. But I was forbidden. And now the only thing that I can do is to lift my head and say…"

"Good morning, Mega." said a voice.

"Good morning, Mega." thought Mega. "No, that's not what I was going to say…"

"Good morning Mega." repeated the voice.

Mega turned around and saw Mufasa looking at him from the cave's entrance. Mufasa walked up to him, and Mega said: "Good morning, Mufasa."

"What are you doing here?" asked Mufasa. "Normally, by this time, you're still sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep well tonight." said Mega.

"Why?" asked Mufasa, confused.

"Uh… I had insomnia" said Mega, thinking for an excuse.

"Shouldn't you ask to Rafiki something to sleep?" asked Mufasa. "Maybe some of his herbs can help you."

"No, thanks, Mufasa." said Mega. "I don't think I need to go to Rafiki."

"Well, do as you want." said Mufasa. "I'll have a busy day. See you later."

"Alright, Mufasa." said Mega.

And so, Mufasa comes down to start his duties as king. Mega sees Mufasa walking into the Pride Lands, and thinks: "I wonder if you would even be here if all those things hadn't happened…"

But he's interrupted when he feels something jumping to his mane. He tries to look up, but he immediately guesses what it is when the "thing" begins chewing his left ear.

"Good morning, Tojo." said Mega.

"Good morning, grandpa." said Tojo while chewing his grandfather's ear.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Mega to his grandson.

"Yes." answered Tojo.

"Good." replied Mega. "Now can you let go my ear?"

"Don't try to fool me. You love this grandpa, you love this!" said Tojo, without releasing his grandfather's ear.

"I hate it." said Mega.

"You love it!"

"I hate it!" said Mega, trying to make an angry tone.

"You love it!" said one female voice.

Mega looked behind, and saw Jani looking at him. Fani, Wingu, Chumvi, and Kula were behind her. Soon, three more lionesses come out of the cave, Alama, with her daughter Tama, Timiza, with her cubs Tibuka and Chafua, and Asumini, with her cubs Kianga and Koza.

"Jani, don't say that I love it." said Mega. "I don't even know how I still have ears after you having been chewing mine every day when you were a cub. Why do you prefered to chew mine, instead of your mother's ears?"

"Yours are better." replied Jani. "Anyway, Tojo can't chew mother's ears, because…"

Both Mega and Jani felt sorry for having started the talking theme of the ears, because it brought up the memory of Jani's mother. When Tojo was born, Mimea had already died, so Tojo never met his grandmother. And he was also sad because of that. Mega decided to change the talking theme.

"So, today you are going on hunt again?" asked Mega to Jani. "Why don't you rest a little bit? You already hunted yesterday."

"Maybe." said Jani. "But I want to go on hunt again. Fani, Wingu, Alama, Timiza, and Asmini will go with me."

"And the cubs?" asked Mega. "What will they do?"

"Well…" started Jani. "That's up for the cubs."

"I want to hear a story, grandpa!" said Tojo.

Tojo loved to hear stories. One of his greatest ambitions was, one day, to be featured in a story as the main hero.

"I want to stay with Tojo." said Kula. "I also want to hear a story."

"We'll go play hide and seek." said Chumvi, while Sena, Kianga, Koza, and Tama joined him.

"We will go to…" started Tibuka, but her mother interrupted her.

"Not to play in the mud, please." said Timiza. "I don't want to have to bath you both. Mud takes time to clean."

Both Tibuka and Chafua looked at their mother with begging eyes.

"Oh… I really can't take that out of you, right?" asked Timiza.

"And I don't know why you complain." said Fani. "When you were a cub, you also liked to play in the mud. And your mother told you exactly what you were telling to Tibuka and Chafua."

"Alright, so we'll play in the mud!" said Chafua. "See ya."

And so, the lionesses went on one direction, Tibuka and Chafua on another, and the other group of cubs on another. On the other hand, Mega, Tojo, and Kula stay there for some seconds more.

"Where do you want to listen the story?" asked Mega.

"Can't it be just here?" asked Kula.

"It can." said Mega. "But stories are more pleasant if they are told in a pleasant place."

"Ok… so what about the Green Den?" asked Tojo.

The Green Den was a cave in slope of moderate rock, with a source and a small torrent, and with grass and lianas overgrowing the entrance. But, seen by the inside, the cave was a lot bigger, because it had a big part under the ground, big enough for two prides to have a meeting. It was a good hideout, and also a calm place, ideal to tell stories.

"Alright." said Mega. "We'll go to the Green Den."

And so, Tojo, Kula and Mega went to the Green Den, to hear Mega's story.

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"So, what kind of story do you want to hear?" asked Mega when they were all comfortably sitting down in the Green Den.

Tojo and Kula had been thinking about the story that they wanted to hear during all the way. So, they already should have it decided. And they had. Tojo lifted his head to Mega.

"A new story, grandpa." said Tojo, smiling.

"And what is that?"

"Something that you've never told, Mr. Mega." said Kula.

"And that is?..."

"How did you join to the Pridelanders?" asked Tojo, with an intriguing expression. "Mommy once said that you weren't born here. So, how did you come here? What happened? Why did you decide to come?"

"Jani speaks too much." thought Mega, with a boring and sad expression. "It is really hard for those cubs to choose a sadder theme for a story."

Mega stayed silent for a long time, fighting with his counsciousness, while thinking if he should or not tell the story. He didn't really want, but what excuse he would give to his grandson?

"So, Grandpa, what's the story?" asked Tojo.

"Uh… this is not a happy story, Tojo." said Mega. "Choose another."

"But we want to hear that story!" said Tojo.

"Yeah, Mr. Mega." said Kula, jumping excitedly. "Tell it! Tell it!"

"I don't want to tell that story." said Mega. "Choose another one."

"Oh…" said Tojo. "Oh… we don't want to hear a story anymore. If you can't tell a really interesting one, you can't tell more."

"But I think I have more interesting stories…" said Mega.

"But we want that one!" said Kula and Tojo together.

"I DON'T WANT TO TELL THAT ONE!" shouted Mega.

Tojo and Kula jumped back, quite scared. They looked at Mega with scared eyes. For the first time since they could recall, Mega had an angry expression in his eyes. Anger, mixed with sadness. Tojo felt sorry for asking for the story so stubbornly, and approached his grandfather.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry." said Tojo, nuzzling his grandfather. "I didn't mean to leave you sad, or angry."

"No…" said Mega, hugging Tojo and Kula at the same time. "It's alright… it's alright…"

"Kula, why don't we go to play tag outside?" asked Tojo.

"Alright." said Kula. "Tag, you're it!"

Kula leaves the Green Den running.

"You cheated!" shouted Tojo happily, running after Kula.

"Be careful!" shouted Mega.

After that, Mega lies down, and tries to sleep. He couldn't close his eyes not even for a second last night. He could hear Tojo and Kula playing outside… they were playing happily… and Mega was feeling sleepy… he could hear the sound of Kula complaining after Tojo having tagged her... his eyes were almost closing… he could hear Tojo and Kula's laughter… and his eyes closed… and Mega fell asleep… and he dreamed…

And many memories were recalled during his dream…

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"Ahadi!" shouted Kimya happily, running to Ahadi, in a time when Ahadi, Mega, and Kimya were young adults, less than three years after Tarki and Masa's deaths.

Life had not been exactly easy for them. After Masa's and Tarki's tragic deaths, Ajizi was the only adult lion left to take care of the three cubs, not an easy task for a single lion. Even though sometimes the lions take care of the cubs while the lionesses are on hunt, Ajizi had to take care of them, to hunt for them, and all the other stuff that the lionesses always do. And even worse, he was just one. It was hard to keep all the cubs safe.

But, against all the odds, Ajizi managed to keep all the cubs safe and healthy until they were teenagers. After all, Ajizi was still a strong and healthy male, and managed to keep all the cubs well fed, and teach them the basics of hunting. And, even tough no one of them became a master hunter, they all became good enough hunters to hunt for their own food. When they were adults, maybe the four together managed to make their own pride.

But, unfornately, that happiness didn't last for long. Less than one month before that day, Ajizi had died.

While trying to hunt a seemingly lost young giraffe, he didn't notice the parents of his prey, that approached, and each one gave a powerful kick of Ajizi, who died instantly, leaving the teenagers with the responsibility of taking care of each other.

In spite of that, they were healthy, Ahadi and Kimya ended up as a happy couple, but no one of them was happy enough. 'Till that day, it seemed.

"Yes, Kimya?" asked Ahadi, smiling at her. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." said Kimya, like if all the happiness of the world was in her. "We are going to have a cub!"

"Really?" asked Ahadi, becoming as happy as Kimya. "Oh, Kimya, I'm so happy… we will have a cub. What will be his name?"

"Well…" said Kimya. "… if it is a boy, I will name him Hamu. If it is a girl… I'll think about that later. But I'm almost sure that the cub will be Hamu."

Ahadi and Kimya nuzzled each other.

"Why are you so happy?" asked Mega with his mouth full. He was just coming to the cave where they lived, carrying a dead zebra.

"I'm pregnant!" said Kimya happily. "I'm going to have a cub. Ahadi is the father."

"Congratulations, Kimya and Ahadi."said Mega, dropping the zebra. "I'm really happy for you all."

"Thanks a lot, Mega." said Ahadi.

"The same for me." said Kimya, smiling.

"Now, Kimya, you will go to the cave and rest, and I carry the zebra that Mega hunted for you to eat." said Ahadi.

"Ahadi!" said Kimya, with narrowed, yet loving, eyes. "I'm pregnant, I'm not sick!"

"But you can't do much physicall efforts." said Ahadi. "Even better, you need someone to take care of you. Mega can hunt for you."

"Ahadi!" said Mega, beginning to get annoyed. "I'm not your slave. And besides, that zebra is mine! I hunted, I should have right to eat it."

"You already made your part when you hunted that zebra." said Ahadi. "The next turn, I will go on hunt. And besides, of course you will have right to eat the zebra. We'll eat it all together. It's more than enough."

"All right, fair and square." said Mega, with an expression of resignation. "This time, I went on hunt, the next time you will."

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And so, Kimya's pregnancy went on without any problem for her. She sometimes felt a little sick, but that is a normal thing in pregnancies. Ahadi and Mega took good care of her, and made sure that she had always everything what she needed, like food and water. When Kimya's pregnancy already lasted for two months, Mega started to get worried, because Ahadi made some completely crazy things to make sure that Kimya had food.

The most memorable one was when, during one of Ahadi's hunting turns, and when Kimya's pregnancy already lasted for a month and a half, Ahadi returned to the cave almost dead from exhaustion, after carrying a full-grown male of eland-antelope.

Mega had to carry both Ahadi and the antelope to the cave, one at a time, and became even more scared when he thought of how much Ahadi should had to fight the antelope to kill him, and his fear came to absolute limit when he thought of during how long Ahadi could have carried the antelope, and he had to carry it fifty meters uphill. The hill where they lived was quite irregular, and had little grass, which made the closest herds to be a kilometer away.

But, in spite of all those incidents, both Ahadi and Kimya came alive to the end of Kimya's pregnancy. And so, almost four months after the day when Kimya told she was pregnant, she started having her cub.

This caused another problem. In normal prides, the lionesses are the ones who stay with the female who's going to have her cub, while the males and the cubs wait outside. But there Ahadi and Mega had to be the ones who would stay with Kimya. This rather scared them, because they weren't used to that. But, in the end, they decided that, if Ajizi had stayed with Masa during Ahadi's birth, they also could stay with Kimya during Hamu's, or the female cub's, birth.

"Don't worry, Kimya, I'm here by your side." said Ahadi, gently placing his paw over her paw, when the birth started.

But, when the birth already lasted for more than an hour, Ahadi and Mega began getting worried. Something was not going well. They weren't exactly experts in birth of cubs. The only things that they knew about it was what Ajizi had told them, because he had seen two births, and Masa had told him some more things, that her mother had told her when she decided to leave to make her pride.

However, the few things that they knew were enough for them to know that something was not going well. The birth already lasted for more than an hour, and the cub wasn't yet beign seen. For that time, it should have been seen.

"Ahadi…." shouted Kimya. "This pain… is…"

"Be brave, Kimya…" said Ahadi, trying to comfort her by licking her face, but by inside he was also getting desperate.

He had no idea of what to do to help her, except giving her moral support: "The cub is almost coming… it's just one small effort… the cub will come…"

But another hour passed, and the cub hadn't yet been born. It was already coming out, but for some reason it was being hard to push her. And Kimya was a young lioness. Having cubs at that age was difficult. And even worst, Kimya was obviously beginning to lose consciousness. She still had her eyes wide open, but she had an almost dead look.

"Kimya, please…" begged Ahadi, with obvious despair in his voice. "Just one last effort..."

And so, appealing to her last energy resource, Kimya finally pushed the cub outside her body.

"I… did… it…" said Kimya, with an almost dead look, and her eyes half-closed. "I… finally… did… it…"

And so, Kimya closes her eyes, and her head falls.

"Kimya…" said Ahadi, burying his muzzle in her neck, trying to wake her up. "Please, wake up…"

But he couldn't feel her breathing.

"Wake up, please…" said Ahadi, with his eyes filled with tears, gently trying to wake her up. "I BEG YOU, WAKE UP."

But it was useless. Kimya had died. Ahadi began crying like mad, while lying down at Kimya's side. Mega simply bowed his head, allowing some tears to come out of his eyes, and, for the first time in his life, felt like an intruder in that ridiculously small pride.

Then, one memory passed through Mega's head, and, for some reason, he decided to check the newborn cub, from who Ahadi had completely forgotten. He came close to the cub, and, when he saw the cub, he couldn't believe what he saw…

"Ahadi…" said Mega. "Ahadi…"

"Yes, Mega?" asked Ahadi, while crying, and without lifting his head from Kimya's neck.

"Come to see the cub…" said Mega.

"Oh… alright…" said Ahadi between sniffs, slowly lifting his head from Kimya, and crawling close to Mega.

But he felt by Mega's voice that there was some problem, and asked: "Is the cub Hamu?"

"Yes…" said Mega. "It's Hamu… but…"

"But what?" asked Ahadi, in full despair. "BUT WHAT, MEGA?"

"See for yourself." managed to say Mega, while crying.

Ahadi came close, and he couldn't believe what he saw. The cub was really a male, Hamu, but was dead. Birth also had been too difficult for him. And, even worst, Hamu seemed exactly like a copy of Tarki. Maybe slightly darker, and with less green eyes, but, besides that, it was like a copy of Ahadi's younger brother, dead to almost three years before that moment. Ahadi looked at Hamu with deep hatred.

"He came back…" said Ahadi, with a voice full of hatred. "He came back to kill Kimya. HE CAME BACK TO KILL KIMYA!"

"Ahadi…" said Mega. "He's just a cub, he didn't… And don't shout inside the cave, or it will collapse…"

But, before Mega could finish his sentence, Ahadi tried to release all his hatred and grief together in a single roar.

The whole cave was beggining to shake. Ahadi ran outside the cave, and Mega followed him right on time. Ahadi and Mega ran down the mountain, and, when they were at a safe distance, Mega stopped to look behind. The whole cave had collapsed, and a big rockslide had been created. If they had stayed there just one second more, both would have met Kimya and Hamu between the Lions of the Past.

"This part of our lives is closed forever." said Mega to himself. "We'll have to start over somewhere."

And so, Mega ran behind Ahadi, who hadn't stopped his run not even for a moment.

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Ahadi and Mega ran during two days and a night, without stopping to eat or to drink. They had just arrived to a strange area, extremely dry, filled with big termite mounds, and with no plants for herbivores to eat. Ahadi ran fueled by grief, and Mega ran fueled by the will of stopping Ahadi to die. Mega tried to convince Ahadi to stop countless times, but Ahadi didn't allow himself to be convinced.

"Please, Ahadi, stop!" shouted Mega, for the countless time. "You must stop!"

"I won't stop!" shouted Ahadi in return. "I won't stop 'till I have Kimya again!"

"SO, YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW HER TO THE LIONS OF THE PAST, AND DRAG ME ALONGSIDE YOU!" shouted Mega.

He hated to do blackmail Ahadi and shout at him, but if the only way to keep Ahadi and himself alives was to use Ahadi's feeling of blame, he would do it. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all. Ahadi didn't stop his run.

"Nobody asked you to come with me!" shouted Ahadi.

"What happened to you?" asked Mega. "You're not the Ahadi I remember!"

"That's right, I'm not! And now, you're satisfied?" shouted Ahadi, beginning to get angry.

"Just disappointed." said Mega in return.

"You know, you're beginning to sound like my father!" shouted Ahadi, running even faster.

"At least, one of us does!" shouted Mega to him.

At that sentence, Ahadi stops, Mega stops as well, and Ahadi turns to Mega, with deep anger in his eyes.

"Listen, you think you can just come here and teach me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through, or what I'm feeling!" shouted a completely furious Ahadi.

"As for you what you've been through, I've been with you since the day when you were born, remember? And for what you're feeling, I would know if you just told me!" shouted Mega, also beginning to get angry.

"Forget it!" shouted Ahadi, as he turned back.

Ahadi was about to begin his run again, but he had reached the limit of his endurance. Ahadi collapsed. Mega ran to him, and tried to wake him up.

"Ahadi…" said Mega, trying to wake him up consistently. "Ahadi… wake up, please… don't die..."

It wasn't fair that Ahadi would die at such a young age. Kimya and Hamu could have died, and it was also no fair for them, but Ahadi had his life in front of him. He could still be happy. Mega tried to wake up Ahadi consistently, but he was also beginning to get tired.

Without another choice, Mega put Ahadi on his back, and tried to search for shelter, but to no avail. After just ten minutes of walking, the exhausted Mega collapsed as well.

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"He's waking up." said one lioness at his side. "Hey, big guy, wake up."

Mega felt that one of the lionesses was licking his cheek. But soon, another lioness spoke.

"Don't disturb him, Mimea." said the second lioness. "Let him wake up at his speed."

"Are you arlight?" asked a voice of an older lioness.

Mega finally looked around, and saw that he was inside a cave. He saw three teenager lionesses, and all of them had around his age. One had yellow fur and brown eyes, the other had brown fur, also with brown eyes, and the other had pale yellow-brown fur, and blue eyes. Behind them, was an older lioness, old enough to be his mother, who had yellow-orange fur, and green eyes. And, at their side, was a lion, a full-grown lion, with brown fur, black mane, and brown eyes.

"Finally you woke up." said the lioness with yellow fur. "We were beginning to get worried. Why do you and your friend were wandering through the Outlands?"

"If it wasn't for Uru and Mimea having found you and your friend, you could have died." said the lioness with pale yellow-brown fur.

"Sorry to interrupt you…" said the lion, lifting his paw. "But, before we start tormenting this poor guy, we should start by introducing ourselves."

"Alright, father." said the brown lioness.

"Alright." said the lion. "I'm Mohatu. The lioness with yellow-orange fur is my mate Laini. The brown lioness is my daughter Uru."

"I'm Uzuri." said the lioness with pale yellow-brown fur and blue eyes.

"I'm Mimea." said the lioness with yellow fur.

So, Mega got up, and said: "I'm Mega. Thanks a lot for taking care of me and Ahadi…"

And so, he realized one thing. Ahadi wasn't there. He looked around to find Ahadi, but couldn't see him.

"Ahadi!" shouted Mega. "Where's Ahadi?"

"Oh, your friend." said Uru. "Well, he woke up, he looked around, he ran away…"

"He found my sweet Uru during his way, it was love at the first sight…" began to say Laini.

"Stop it, mom!" said Uru sternly.

"But even so, he ran away." said Mohatu.

"I have to talk to him." said Mega, beginning to run outside the cave. "He's crazy, he might do something…"

But Mohatu pounced on him.

"You will stay here." said Mohatu with a firm voice. "I will go after him. And besides, your friend is still terribly tired. He won't go far."

And so, Mohatu left the cave. Mega wanted to go with him, but Mimea blocked his way, and said: "Stay here. King Mohatu will bring your friend back. Don't worry."

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The experienced King Mohatu was right when he said that Ahadi wouldn't go far. Sure when he woke up, he kept running furiously, but soon he stopped. Weakness and tiredness finally surpassed his grief. For some unknown reason, he decided to stop under an acacia, to stay in the shade.

He didn't even know why he was worrying with himself any more. He had lost everything… his mother… his father… his mate… his son… what more reasons he had to live?

Suddenly, without warning, the image of a lioness came to his spirit. He didn't know that lioness, but he had seen her. When he woke up in the cave, and ran away to continue his furious run, he had seen her. And, for some reason, the lioness was returning to him in mind. Why?

"If only Mega could explain me… Oh my God! Mega!" thought Ahadi.

What could have happened to him? When he woke up, he didn't care about searching for Mega, but now his rationality began returning to him. What could have happened to him? Was he still lost in that misterious place, being devoured by ants and termites? Was it because of him? Had he caused the death of his last friend only because his selfishness?

Suddenly, Ahadi heard a sound. He stood up, and saw a full-grown lion approaching. He looked imposive, like if he was a mighty king, but at the same time he seemed to care for his subjects.

But even so he could be an aggressive rogue. Ahadi didn't know what to think, and felt a little scared. He stepped back a lot. But then, he sat down, and said: "Alright. Kill me if you want."

"Why would I kill you, my son?" asked the lion, sitting down.

"I'm a miserable, and I no longer have a reason to live." said Ahadi, not even noticing that the lion called him "son" although he wasn't obviously his father, Ajizi.

"Why do you say that?" asked Mohatu.

"My mother died when I was a cub… my father died some weeks ago… my mate and my son…

"He has a son?" asked Mohatu in thought. "He is almost too young for that. It's physically possible, but I'm sure he wasn't ready psicologically."

"… and my best friend died because of my selfishness…" concluded Ahadi.

"My son…" said Mohatu. "Don't worry about your friend. My lionesses and I managed to bring both of you to the cave. But what you were doing wandering in the Outlands?"

"It's a long story…" said Ahadi.

"You can tell it to me later." said Mohatu. "By the way, what is your name?"

"Ahadi." said Ahadi.

"Mine is Mohatu." said Mohatu. "Now, you must make an "ahadi" to me."

"A promise?" asked Ahadi. "What is that?"

"Promise that you will stay with us until you feel fully recovered." said Mohatu.

Ahadi thought for a long time. Such a promise was seemingly impossible for him to make. He said that he wanted to have Kimya again… but Kimya was dead… however, he had survived… and the image of the unknown lioness returned to his mind once again…

"All right." said Ahadi, almost unconscious of his words. "I will stay here."

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Ahadi didn't like to promise anything, because he was never sure that he could keep it, but, when he promised something, he would keep the promise 'till the end. So, he came back with Mohatu to the misterious big rock, which later he knew to be called "Pride Rock", probably because a pride lived there.

Much to his relief, when he arrived to the cave, Mega was there, healthy, and seemed to be good in relations with a lioness of around his age, who Mohatu told him to be called Mimea. Ahadi also met Laini, Mohatu's mate, who was also good and kind. He also learned that Mohatu and Laini were king and queen of those lands, who were called the "Pride Lands". However, much to his dislike, Ahadi found that the misterious lioness was part of Mohatu's pride. If he ever suspected that, he would never have come.

But now he had. And he promised to stay. So, he would keep the promise. He only hoped that he would get well again, so Mega and him would leave again… but what if Mega didn't want to leave? What if he wanted to stay with Mimea?

Would Ahadi accept to leave alone, or would he stay with Mega, with the suffering of standing the view of the lioness that made him to stop thinking about Kimya for some moments?

Fortunately, he and the lioness didn't see each other many times. The lioness seemed to be avoiding Ahadi, just like Ahadi was avoiding her. The only meeting they had was when the lioness, in an attempt to play, pounced on Ahadi, and began laughing, but Ahadi didn't think about it as fun.

Since that day, Ahadi avoided the lioness with all the strenght he had.

However, he didn't want to leave. Why? Because of Mega? Because of the lioness? Because of himself?

One day, two weeks after Ahadi's acceptance into the pride, he was looking at the stars, while sitting down in the open plain. Once, so much time ago that it seemed to be over a century ago… his father took him to watch stars, Ahadi had asked to his father what the stars were, and Ajizi had told him that stars were the spirits of the dead animals. Ahadi had asked if they would also become stars. Ajizi had answered: "Yes, but hopefully only a long time from now."

"Now, I would like to know which star you are…" thought Ahadi, while looking at the sky. "Where are you, father? Where are you, mother? Where are you, Kimya?"

But he stopped when he heard the sound of someone approaching. He turned around, and he saw the lioness… the lioness who managed to make him stop thinking about Kimya… what crazy thing she would do now?

"Don't be afraid…" said the lioness in a calming voice. "I won't harm you."

Ahadi instantly felt himself calming down, and without knowing why, he allowed the lioness to come close to him. She sat down by his side.

"I… want to apologize." said the lioness, with a voice that showed that she was sorry. "For having pounced on you like that."

"It's all right…" said Ahadi, understanding that the lioness was talking seriously. "I'm not mad… what's your name?"

"Uru…" said the lioness, looking at him.

"And it fits you well…" thought Ahadi with a dreamful expression. "You're as beautiful as diamonds… oh, stop that! She is not Kimya. Kimya can't be replaced."

"Yours is Ahadi. My father told me." concluded Uru.

"Your father…" asked Ahadi, confused. "Your father is King Mohatu? You're the…princess?"

"Yes." said Uru. "I didn't tell you earlier because I didn't want to shock you…"

Ahadi and Uru remained silent for some more time… until Uru talked again: "Do you want to talk about that?"

"About what?" asked Ahadi, without understanding.

"About your past." said Uru, looking at him. "Why you were so shocked when you first appeared?"

Ahadi wasn't exactly sure that he could trust Uru, but somehow he felt it. Uru nuzzled him calmly, and Ahadi didn't stop her. When Uru stepped back, he cleared his throat, and said, with a sad face: "Alright. I'll tell you. Basically… all my family died… my father… my mother… my mate… my son…"

"You have a son?" thought Uru. "Normally no lion has a son or a mate at such a young age. And they all died? I wonder how that happened."

But she only added loud, with a deeply sad expression: "I'm sorry…"

But, this time, it was Ahadi who nuzzled her.

"Listen, Uru…" asked Ahadi with a hopeful voice. "Did you ever make star watching?"

"Of course." said Uru, smiling. "When I was a cub, my father and I, and sometimes even my mother, did that all the time. All the spirits of the dead animals are up there, but father says that the Great Kings of the Past are brighter that the other animals…"

"I wonder which one of them is Kimya…" said Ahadi, looking at the sky again.

"Kimya was your mother? Or your mate?" asked Uru.

"My mate…" said Ahadi, without stop looking at the sky. "But there are so much stars… I wonder where she is… we could both live in paradise for the rest of eternity…"

/"Look for the way" song. Melody can be adopted from "Love Will Find A Way", but slightly different. Ahadi looks endlessly at the stars, while Uru approaches him./

First verse: Uru

_Drop the highest stars_

_You looked there too long_

_Look for paradise_

_In place where you belong…_

/Uru finally catches Ahadi's attention. Uru begins walking while Ahadi follows her with his eyes, but without moving at all. Uru keeps singing./

_Just watch on the ground_

_Where are flowers too…_

/While walking, Uru passes by some nocturnal dark-blue flowers who are opened and where some yellow butterflies are drinking nectar. Uru keeps singing./

_And stop to dream unending scheme_

_Just look for path and walk it through…_

/While singing "through", Uru seems to be walking by a path whose limits are marked by the flowers where the butterflies are drinking the nectar./

Chorus: Uru

_We will find the way_

_Close, within our sight_

_Maybe not as high as stars_

_But the best for us to find_

/Uru stops running, and looks at Ahadi, who is still in the same place./

_During night or day_

_Is it rain or clear_

_We'll look for our way…_

_That could start tight here_

/On the word "here" Uru places her right paw over her chest (and presumably also over her heart). Ahadi, who had always been looking at Uru, starts singing as well./

Second verse: Ahadi

_I could only think_

_About my dead past_

_While I failed to see_

_That my days still last_

/Ahadi looks at Uru with a dreamful expression, and smiles happily. Camera changes to Uru who also smiles at him. Camera changes to Ahadi again. Ahadi begins walking to Uru./

_Now I want to know_

_Where I'm standing on_

_I would hate to miss…_

_Way before it's gone_

/Ahadi begins running by the same way where Uru went, and for some reason the butterflies begin flying from the flowers, which makes the flowers less visible./

_Every step I take, every day I wake_

/Mixed captures of Ahadi's and Uru's faces, both of them seem in deep happiness. Then, a capture of Ahadi running to Uru with a happy smile, and then a capture of Uru running to Ahadi with a simmilar expression./

Chorus: Ahadi and Uru

_Makes me sure of love, of my love for you_

_Now I see the perfect way to go through_

/Ahadi and Uru finally find each other and they nuzzle eachother lovingly./

_We will find the way_

_Close, within our sight_

/Ahadi and Uru begin running. Camera is somewhere down them, so we see them running from an under-perspective, and we see mainly the night sky above them. At the same time, some fireflies are following them./

_Maybe not as high as stars_

_But the best for us to find_

/Ahadi and Uru run even faster, and they begin running by the middle of more two lines of flowers./

_During night or day_

_Is it rain or clear_

_We'll look for our way…_

_That could start tight here_

/Ahadi and Uru stop running, and sit down, looking at each other with big smiles on their faces./

_We will look for our way…_

_And I know we'll find our way…_

/Uru and Ahadi sit down together, nuzzling lovingly, while they feel a soft breeze around them. For some short moments, the leaves and feathers carried by the breeze seem to blow around Uru and Ahadi, like if they are feeling happy for them. We can see some of the stars behind them. The shape of a heart can be seen. Song finishes./

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"Good morning." said Mohatu's voice.

Ahadi woke up. He realized where he had been sleeping. He had been sleeping literally holding Uru, in Uru's royal place. What would the king and the queen think?

"So… I can see you finally expressed your feelings…" said Mohatu, smiling.

"I'm so happy for you…" said Laini, nuzzling Uru in a motherly way.

"Thanks, mom." said Uru.

After nuzzling Uru, Laini also nuzzled Ahadi in the same motherly way. This was unexpected. Ahadi wasn't nuzzled like that ever since the day his mother died… but then he remembered… what would King Mohatu think about him and Uru?

"I have nothing against the fact that you love my daughter, or that she loves you." said Mohatu.

Ahadi felt relieved.

"But you must take responsabilites…" said Mohatu, with a more serious expression.

Ahadi didn't understand what Mohatu meant, but he listened to the lion's words.

"If you love my daughter Uru, you'll have to accept that she will stay here, and you must rule this pride and the Pride Lands when I'm gone." said Mohatu.

Ahadi finally understood. He was accepted as mate of the princess... which meant he was a prince… a future king… and he would be a king…

"I accept that." said Ahadi.

Ahadi and Uru smiled at each other.

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Mohatu proclaimed that Ahadi and Uru were betrothed two days after that. And that cerimony was also the day of Mega and Mimea's cerimony. That was the first real step for Ahadi and Mega's new life in the Pride Lands.

But suddenly Mega woke up, sneezing. He looked around. All those recollections seemed so real that he took some seconds to understand that he was an adult lion, who had been sleeping in the Green Den, and not a teenager lion, who had been sleeping in the cave of Pride Rock at Mimea's side.

"You really can't get back to the past." thought Mega. "Well, now the only thing I have left to do is to return to Pride Rock."

And so, Mega got out the Green Den. And then he heard a voice: "Mega!"

He turned around, and saw Mufasa staring at him.

"Hello, Mufasa." said Mega.

"Mega, may I speak with you for a moment?" asked Mufasa.

"You can speak with me for two, if you want." said Mega, chuckling.

"Alright." said Mufasa, relaxing.

Mufasa sat down at Mega's side, and started speaking.

"You know…" said Mufasa. "I'm starting to get worried…"

"About what?" asked Mega, confused.

"About Simba." said Mufasa, looking worried. "And myself."

"What do you mean?" asked Mega, even more confused.

"I mean, will I be a good father and a king at the same time?" asked Mufasa, with a desperate expression.

"Yes, you will." said Mega, smiling at him. "I believe that you will be a good father. But I'll give you one advice, if that's what you want."

"What is the advice?" asked Mufasa.

"I suggest you to spend all the time that you can with your family." said Mega.

"Alright." said Mufasa, calming down. "I mean… well, I don't really know what to do about that… but I'll think about your advice. Thanks Mega."

"No problem." said Mega.

And so, Mufasa ran away, returning to Pride Rock. Mega followed him shortly after.

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When Mega arrived to Pride Rock, he entered the cave, and saw that everything was going well. On one part of the cave, Sarabi and Mufasa were with Simba, who was drinking Sarabi's milk. On Sarafina's part of the cave, Moyo and Sarafina are with Nala, who is also drinking her mother's milk.

Mega saw that Jani, Fani, Wingu, Timiza, Asumini, and Alama already returned from hunting, and were playing with their cubs. Mega prepared himself to come out of the cave again, but, when he turned around, he saw something he never expected to see.

Scar and Zira were climbing Pride Rock, but they were walking even more close to each other than normally… like Ahadi and Uru did when they were in love, and how Mega and Mimea did as well… but… could it be possible? Could Scar and Zira be in love?

"I hope they are in love." thought Mega. "Poor Scar already had suffering enough for his whole life. And I knew that Zira loved him ever since the day Scar brought her to the pride, and Scar as well. But will they assume it?"

Scar and Zira were walking really close, but they both stopped when they saw Mega looking at them.

"Don't be afraid." said Mega. "I won't judge you for that. Love is a perfectly normal thing."

With Mega's words, Scar and Zira seem to relax a little bit, and walk inside the cave. Their entrance in the cave causes some whispers. No one of the pride members ever seemed to expect that.

Unless Sakia, the only one who smiles at them and seems happy with their decision. Both Scar and Zira give a brief nod to Sakia, and then Scar looks at the king and the queen. Both Mufasa and Sarabi are as intrigued as the rest of the pride.

Scar looks at his big brother, with deep hatred in his eyes, then to his former love, and then to Simba. Then, Scar and Zira walk to their part of the cave.

"That's bad…" thought Mega, who had been watching everything from the cave. "I didn't like the way how Scar looked at Simba. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this."

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_What did you think of this chapter? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	6. Chapter 5: The lone warthog

_Well, this one is chapter 5 of my fanfic... and by the way, thanks to all those who have been reviewing! Bovu (male) Shimo (male) and Fichwa (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Let's begin the chapter now._

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**Chapter 5 – The lone warthog**

Pumbaa lied down under a thick bush, trying to sleep, after passing the whole day wandering in the Pride Lands. The two previous days were hard for him. He had to look for food and water for himself, without the help of the sounder, and at the same time to look for predators that would want to catch him when he was distracted. Fortunately for him, Pumbaa had a secret weapon, which made most of the predators, with the exception of the really hungry ones, to avoid him.

But he couldn't be too trusty on that weapon. And besides, the same weapon that made Pumbaa a harder target for predators was the same weapon that could make Gwasi and the rest of the sounder to find him.

Pumbaa took really seriously Gwasi's threat of killing him if he ever again appeared in front of his eyes. So, the only thing that he could do was to…

What he could really do? He had no where to go! Without his sounder, Pumbaa had really nothing to do… just walk around, and eat, and sleep, always with fear of being found by the sounder or devoured by some lion, just like Tisa and Dogo.

Tisa… he could still remember the day when he met her. Right on the day when Mbango took him to the sounder. Tisa was the only piglet who was friendly to him since the very beginning, which rather annoyed Gwasi because even as piglets Gwasi already wanted her as mate. As years passed, Pumbaa and Tisa remained good friends, but in spite of being Pumbaa's friend, Tisa chose Gwasi to be her mate. When Pumbaa asked her why, Tisa said that Gwasi was very good and kind, in spite of not treating Pumbaa well. Pumbaa had his doubts, but…

"Oh, who cares about that, anyway?" asked Pumbaa in mind. "There's nothing I can do now. In the end, neither Gwasi nor I have Tisa. If only my parents were here…"

And in that moment, Pumbaa had a lot of recollections. His mother and father, gently hugging him… and telling him of their ancient home… a place filled with termite mounds, known as the Outlands… and the way for it, if Pumbaa ever wanted to return…

"That's it!" thought Pumbaa. "I'll go to the Outlands. Maybe my real sounder accepts me, in spite of the fact they've never known me."

And so, Pumbaa fell asleep, feeling happy with himself and with the fact of having finally something to do. In the next morning, he would go to the Outlands. He had lost enough time already without needing to worry with more things.

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"So, the way to the Outlands is walking north." said Pumbaa, recalling what his parents had told him.

Right after waking up, Pumbaa had gone to drink in a waterhole, and eating ants and other grubs. He didn't know why, but, unlike the other warthogs of his adopted sounder, he prefered to eat bugs, mainly termites, to the other things that warthogs eat, like grass, roots, and fruits.

Maybe he would get an answer to some of his different behaviours. However, there was one thing troubling him. What happened to his real parents? He could only remember that, one, night he went to sleep with his parents, and… now he could recall it… there was one moment in the night when he had heard some roars, mixing with shouts for help… his real parents should have been eaten by lions… just like Tisa and Dogo…

"Who would say it?" asked Pumbaa in his mind. "I lost my family and my friends for lions. Who more I will lose for the lions? Just myself."

But Pumbaa didn't really want to think about anything related to death. He already had seen too many deaths during the last days. But there was another problem. Would his real sounder accept him? Or would they banish him, like Gwasi and his sounder had?

However, Pumbaa stopped thinking about that and about many other things when he arrived to a small rise in the ground. He climbed it, and had a small view.

In front of him, he had a view over the last piece of the Pride Lands, and over an area. A seemingly desolated area, filled only with termite mounds and rotten trees.

"So this is the Outlands?" thought Pumbaa. "Well, no one would say that my parents lived in such a desolate place. No wonder they wanted to leave."

Pumbaa looked at the Outlands, then at the Pride Lands. From one side, the fertile plains of the Pride Lands, with soft ground covered in grass, and filled with logs that had juicy slimey bugs under them, lots of trees to rest in the shade, and mud pools to have a refreshing bath. From the other side, the Outlands, filled with roasting rock, with seemingly hard ground, that has little of flat, with the bugs being just crunchy termites, whose only shade is given by the termite mounds, and seemingly without a drop of water to drink.

But on the Pride Lands, there was Gwasi's sounder, who will kill him if they see him again, and on the Pride Lands, there was his real sounder, who might banish him as well, but also might accept him, and give him a home.

Finally he decided. He will go to the Outlands. He had to find out like his real sounder his, and how was the way of life in the Outlands. Maybe he wouldn't stay there, but he couldn't pass without knowing his real sounder.

Then, Pumbaa descended the rock to where he climbed, and walked in the direction of the Outlands. He arrived to a river... the river had a log, big enough to be used as a bridge, and didn't have any worms that made it rotten or fragile.

But, when Pumbaa looked down, to see better the river, he felt a little nervous. There wass a group of over a hundred crocodiles in it, and all the crocodiles stared at Pumbaa with a hungry look, like if Pumbaa was the biggest meal that passed through there since the last weeks, maybe months.

"I don't like that…" said Pumbaa to himself. "I don't think they can reach me on this log, but if I get too nervous, I may fall to the river, and the crocodiles will have a fine meal."

As a matter of fact, the crocodiles would never have a fine meal with Pumbaa. He was too small. Divided between a hundred crocodiles he was no more than an appetiser. But even a single appetiser of warthog was welcome among crocodiles. At least for those who lived on that particular area of the river. There, preys are rare. The only ones that exist are occasional fish and frogs, and some animals from the Outlands that go drink there. The fat warthog of the Pride Lands would be a pleasant change in their diet.

"Uh… let's walk it through…" thought Pumbaa. "I've come through here, I can go to the end. And the alternative is to return to the Pride Lands and let Gwasi to find me."

And so, Pumbaa bravely walked through, quivering with fear. The crocodiles seemed to have guessed his fear, and start opening their mouths at Pumbaa, trying to leave him scared enough to fall to the water.

"Just ignore them…" thought Pumbaa. "Ignore them… keep looking at the other side... don't look at them… nothing will happen if you don't look at them…"

But the crocodiles were always staring at him. After some time of feeling the eyes of the crocodiles, Pumbaa felt the ground under his hooves.

"Ufff…" thought Pumbaa. "It was about time. Now I have to search my sounder."

And so, after looking one last time at the Pride Lands, Pumbaa entered the Outlands.

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Pumbaa wandered through the Outlands during the whole day. It rather surprised him how the Outlands were so different from the Pride Lands. Instead of the soft ground covered by grass, this ground was hard, very difficult to walk, and was irregular enough to make the wandering through the Outlands quite difficult. There was barely any grass in this ground, and as for trees, there were just some, quite small, and so thin that couldn't give any real shelter from the hard sunlight.

The only real shelter from the sun were the termite mounds, were Pumbaa regularly went to have shelter from the sun.

Pumbaa had to stay there during the hottest part of the day, because the sun was too hard during that time to wander. But, 'till that time, he didn't see the smallest sign of life. Well, that wasn't exactly true. There were some mongooses and meerkats living in dead termite mounds and in holes in the rocks, and also some quails living in rocks and dead termite mounds as well, but he hadn't yet seen anything that shown the existence of a sounder.

Well, maybe "nothing" was a lie. He had seen something that shown the existence, even if only ancient, of a sounder: warthog skeletons. Three of them, who were partially devoured. But he hadn't seen "yet" any predator big enough to kill a warthog.

"I wonder what happened to my sounder." thought Pumbaa.

The second part of the day wasn't much happier in matter of finding the sounder. He saw even more skeletons, this time of antelopes, and saw a small group of gazelles, but nothing more.

However, the Outlands had a bonus. The termites were the prize for any insect eater of that place. These were the really good ones. This rather impressed Pumbaa, because he thought that the slimey bugs were better than the crunchy bugs. But even he could not say no to these termites.

"Maybe it's my blood of Outlander warthog showing himself." thought Pumbaa.

But this made him even more depressed, because he couldn't find any sounder during his first day of journey in the Outlands. But, who knows, maybe he would be luckier on the next day.

So, he decided to look for a place to sleep. That wasn't the real problem of living in the Outlands. The big empty termite mounds made good shelters to sleep. Finding something to eat wasn't the real problem as well. The real problem was water, mainly. Water seemed rare in the Outlands.

But this didn't worry Pumbaa, for now. He would try to find the sounder one more day, and, if he failed, he would leave.

So, he lied down inside a big termite mound, and tried to sleep. But didn't last for long until he heard a cubbish voice shouting happily: "Pig! Pig! Look, daddy, a pig!"

Pumbaa lifted his head, with an angry look. He always felt offended when he was called a pig. That was his weak spot. When he lived with the sounder, Gwasi had discovered that Pumbaa hated to be called a pig, and, always that Gwasi wanted to show his parents that he was better tempered than Pumbaa, he called Pumbaa a pig. This always led to discussions.

However, this wasn't Gwasi's voice. It was a cubbish voice. Pumbaa looked around, and saw, in the entrance for the termite mound, a lion cub, with a black tuft on the head, grey fur, and blue eyes that were shining at the moonlight. It was a cub, but Pumbaa hated when every creature called him a pig. So, he got up and shouted: "Are you talking to me?"

"Uh… yes." said the cub, confused.

"Are you talking to me?" asked Pumbaa again.

"I already told you yes." said the cub, beginning to get annoyed.

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?" shouted Pumbaa, completely furious.

"I SAID YES!" shouted the cub, without understanding why Pumbaa was furious, but beginning to get scared.

"THEY CALL ME MISTER PIG!"

And Pumbaa charged at the lion cub. The lion cub got completely terrified, so terrified that he couldn't even run away. The only thing the cub did was to shout: "DADDY! HELP!"

And the call for help was answered. A hulky lion with black mane, even more black eyes, and dark-grey fur, stood between the charging Pumbaa and the cub. He didn't even try to roar to scare the warthog. Pumbaa stopped just at the sight of such a scary predator. The lion would take him down in a heartbeat with a single blow. Pumbaa was so scared that he didn't even try to fight to protect himself. He just thought: "My time has come… I'll die… just like Tisa… and Dogo… and my parents…"

However, the lion didn't seem to have the slightest intention to kill him. But if he didn't, why was he walking at Pumbaa? Pumbaa didn't think. That was no time to think. It was only a time to run away.

So, Pumbaa turned around and ran away, shouting. But there was really no way out inside that would allow him to escape. He could try to climb to the top of the termite mound, where the heavy lion wouldn't reach him, but… let's be realistic, climbing never was the strong point of any kind of pig… I mean, suine.

And, even if it was, Pumbaa couldn't do it. The much more agile lion jumped over Pumbaa, blocking the only way existing to the top of the termite mound. Pumbaa didn't stop, he just turned around, running to the way out.

The cub stood between Pumbaa and the way out, but Pumbaa, making a supreme effort, jumped over the cub. He would have thrown the cub outside his way without much effort, but any scratch on the cub of the extremely muscled lion would surely make the father extremely angry.

Once outside the cave, Pumbaa ran as fast as he could, and he faced one more problem. His warthog hooves weren't yet too used to run in such an irregular and dry ground. But the choice was run or be killed. And Pumbaa liked the first better.

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Meanwhile, Timon had arrived in the Outlands. After a whole day of walking, he was rather disappointed that the only place where he had come was a place with irregular ground, dry, without anything to eat, as a matter of fact, without any kind of life around, with the exception of the termite mounds.

"Well, at least this isn't a complete waste." thought Timon. "I have termites, crunchy, delicious termites, no one around to bore me, and surely a lot of time for sunbathing. Although there's advisable not to sunbath in the hottest part of the day. Or our skin will be burn and we'll shout…"

"HELP!" shouted a voice.

"Help!" said Timon. "No, it's not help!"

"HELP!" shouted the voice again.

Timon turned around, trying to see the origin of the shout, and saw something he wouldn't expect.

Running in his direction, was a warthog, a red warthog with terrified expression, and the warthog was beign chased by the biggest lion he had ever seen. And the lion seemed really scary.

Timon didn't stop to think. He lied down and covered his head with his arms, waiting at any moment to feel the sharp hooves of the warthog or the huge paw of the lion to squash him.

But that didn't happen. Both the warthog and lion passed without stepping on him, probably even without seeing him. But Timon was always a little bit pretentious, and got up, and said: "Pff. They were too afraid to dare to step on me. But of course they would be afraid. Everyone is afraid of such a brave looking meerkat like me."

While finishing the sentence, Timon tried to make a fearless look, but he heard a cubbish voice saying: "Well, I'm not scared at all about you."

Timon turned around, and saw a lion cub with a black head tuft, grey fur, and blue eyes. He didn't like what he saw.

"Like I said, I'm not scared at all about you. And to prove you, I'm going to eat you!"

The lion cub grabbed Timon with his left paw, and tried to take him to his mouth, but Timon was holding on to the lion's paw persistently. The lion cub tried to bite him, but Timon managed to avoid the bite, and the cub ended up biting his own paw.

Timon used the chance to run away, but the cub put the undamaged paw over Timon, while licking the bite in the other.

"Uh… you're brave." said the cub, seemingly impressed.

"Leave me alone!" said Timon, beginning to get annoyed

"Alright." said the cub, releasing Timon. As a matter of fact, he wasn't hungry on that moment, and he didn't kill for sport. "My name's Shimo, what's yours?"

"Uh… Timon." said Timon. "Nice to meet you."

"Same for me." said Shimo. "Sorry, but I can't stay for longer. My daddy is going to hunt a pig, and I have to see it. Goodbye Timon! Appear whenever you want!"

And Shimo went away, leaving the amazed Timon there, without knowing what to do.

"Oy." said Timon after some time. "Carnivores… but all right. I think I'll stay in the Outlands. At least I don't have to hide… better to say, I have to hide less that in the meerkat colony. And here I don't have to hear those idiots. I'll stay, and choose one of these termite mounds as home."

And so, Timon walked around, looking for a proper place to live.

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Meanwhile, Pumbaa was passing by a really bad situation. He had used all the ways that he could remember to make his pursuer confused, and try to run away, but clearly the pursuer was tough, paying attention to Pumbaa, and even worst, was used to running in the Outlands, something that Pumbaa wasn't.

So, in spite of Pumbaa's hard attempts, the lion managed to catch him, and pinned him under his paws. The lion was panting, even more than Pumbaa. He said: "Very well… I'm impressed. You're the prey that gave me more hard work to catch 'till now."

"That is not useful for me at anything." thought Pumbaa. "Now the lion will kill me…"

"Let's eat pig, daddy!" shouted one voice.

Both Pumbaa and the lion turned around, and saw the cub running at them. However, the lion kept Pumbaa pinned. The cub said again: "Let's eat pig, daddy!"

The lion turned at Pumbaa.

"My time has come…" thought Pumbaa, quivering with fear.

But the lion didn't seem to want to kill Pumbaa. He simply asked: "Why you charged at my son?"

Pumbaa couldn't answer. He was still too scared to speak normally.

"Shimo, do you have any idea of why he charged at you?" asked the lion to his son, forgetting Pumbaa for some moments.

"Well, dad…" started Shimo, trying to recall the events. "I just said that there was a pig there in the cave, and the pig was completely out of control just because I called him a pig. But he IS a pig!"

"Shimo, he is a warthog." said the lion, releasing Pumbaa. "Apologize to him."

"Apologize?" asked Pumbaa, getting more confused by the second, and without understanding why the lions didn't eat him. "You won't eat me?"

"In normal circusntances we would." said the lion, who seemed sorry for not eating Pumbaa. "But both my son and I have a stomach problem that doesn't make us to accept very well suine meat."

"Well, I guess it's my lucky day." thought Pumbaa, sighing from relief.

Shimo finally stepped forward, and said: "Sorry… uh, what's your name?"

"It's Pumbaa." said Pumbaa. "Yours is Shimo…"

He then made a ridiculous bow to the lion, and asked: "And yours, mister?"

"Bovu." said the lion, chuckling at the sight of Pumbaa's ridiculous bow.

"Uh… thanks…" said Pumbaa, with a reliefed expression. "Well, maybe I'll go…"

"You stink!" said Shimo, with a face that expressed disgust.

"Shimo, that was rude!" said Bovu, looking at his son again.. "Apologize to him."

"Not again?" asked Shimo, annoyed.

"It's alright." said Pumbaa. "I'm used to those comments."

"If you say so…" said Bovu, with a consentiment expression. "We won't stop you from going."

"Thanks…" said Pumbaa, coming out of the termite mound.

But then, he remembered his mission: to find his sounder. Maybe those lions had seen his sounder and spared it, after all they couldn't eat warthog meat.

"Uh… say… may I ask you something?" asked Pumbaa.

"You may ask, but I don't know if we can answer." said Bovu jokingly. "What is it?"

"Well… do you know about the existence of a sounder around here?" asked Pumbaa.

"A sounder?" asked Bovu, trying to recall something. "Ah! Now I get it. You are lost, and don't know where to go. You were so focused on bug hunting that you got lost from your sounder."

"Sort of." said Pumbaa, nodding his head. It wasn't the real truth, but it really didn't care, because the real reason made no difference to where Pumbaa would find his sounder.

"Well, you have bad luck." said Bovu, sighing from pity. "Just a week ago, the whole sounder was killed by the hyenas that live on the Elephant Graveyard."

Pumbaa felt deeply depressed. Now, he really had anything, and no where to go. No adopted sounder… no real sounder… no parents… no best friends…

But it seemed that these lions didn't like hyenas either.

"Don't speak about hyenas, daddy!" shouted Shimo, with a terrified expression.

"Why?" asked Pumbaa, curious. "What they have done?"

"It's… a sad story…" said Bovu. He was beginning to feel some simpathy by the warthog. "You wouldn't want to hear."

"How can you say that?" asked Pumbaa. "My life was also sad… and you can't keep that just to yourself."

"Alright, I'll tell you…" said Bovu. "Well, my mate… Shimo's mother, named Fichwa… was killed by the hyenas. They don't have food in the Elephant Graveyard, and the king of the Pride Lands banished them."

When he said "King of the Pride Lands" he said with an expression that shown so much hatred that Pumbaa shivered. He couldn't understand why, but this wasn't the best time to ask.

"And so, the hyenas turned their hunting attentions to the Outlands… and they killed Fichwa… and my other son… Shimo's younger brother."

"You have one other son?" asked Pumbaa, curious.

"I had." said Bovu, starting to cry. "But, by what I could understand of tracks and scents around that place, when the hyenas tried to kill my other son, three lions appeared. They scared the hyenas, but seemingly they also ate my son."

With those words, Shimo began crying in his father's paw. Bovu hugged him, but he began crying as well.

"Geez… I'm sorry…" said Pumbaa. "Uh… I guess I beter go now."

"Goodbye." said Bovu, saying good-bye at Pumbaa. "Come back if you ever want."

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Pumbaa walked through the Outlands at night, returning to the Pride Lands. He couldn't see too well, because night had suddenly got darker with dark clouds, but his sense of smell was fine enough for him to follow his own track of smell back to the place where he came from. It was even good enough to allow him to cross the river on the dead tree without falling to the crocodiles' jaws.

But, when Pumbaa finally returned to the Pride Lands, he understood everything. Now he had really lost everything in life. He had no where to go. He had no real sounder, no adopted sounder, what could he do?

Find a mate to create his own sounder? But how? If even Tisa, his best friend, chose to stay with the bad and quick tempered Gwasi instead of the smelly but tender Pumbaa, what were his chances with an unknown female warthog?

"Why?" thought Pumbaa. "Why do I have to be all alone?"

/"The lone warthog" song. Try to imagine a sad and slow tune. Camera shows a capture of Pumbaa. Pumbaa climbs to a rock and looks to the Outlands./

First verse:

_That's where I was born_

_But my family moved on_

_Yet they took me with them_

_But one day they were gone_

/Camera changes to Pumbaa lying down temporarially under one bush, scaring a bat-eared fox, we don't know if because of his smell or because of his sudden appearance./

_That happened at a dark night_

_At a time that matched my life_

_My whole world became a fight_

_I had to struggle to stay alive_

/Pumbaa gets up, and begins walking on a way clean of grass. As he walks, we see some pairings of other night animals: a pair of bats flies close to Pumbaa's head, Pumbaa passes close to a flower where a pair of moths is drinking nectar, camera changes perspective and we see things from the top of a tree where two galagos are together. Pumbaa is passing under that tree./

Chorus:

_I was the lone warthog_

_All alone in a hard life_

_My heart heavy as a log_

_While I tried to survive_

/Pumbaa passes close to a cheetah sleeping under a bush. The cheetah is scared by Pumbaa's appearance, and tries to hide as well as she can under the bush./

_I always hoped to live_

_But just for how long?_

_Days were hard to outlive_

_And where I should belong?_

/Camera changes it's perspective, and we can see that Pumbaa is seeing a leopardess trying to kill a young buffalo. However, he doesn't seem worried. The mother buffalo comes and the leopardess runs away. Camera changes again to Pumbaa. Pumbaa sings again alone./

Second verse:

_I managed to find a place_

_Where I was taken in_

_But there I had to face_

_Someone that hated me_

/We get a zoom of Pumbaa's eyes, and we see some of his memories: he as younger lifting a small tree trunk with few (yet some) bugs under it, while Mbango and Nina are proud of him. We also see Gwasi, quite jealous because his tree trunk has nothing under./

_He came to reach his goal_

_I was again driven out_

_Life seemed to becole a hole_

_From where I can't get out_

/Capture of Pumbaa wandering all alone in the savannah. The clouds on the sky are together, and no star or the moon can be seen. No animal besides Pumbaa is seen in the savannah./

Chorus:

_I am the lone warthog_

_All alone in a hard life_

_My heart heavy as a log_

_While I try to survive_

/Pumbaa looks around, and sees no one./

_And why am I all alone?_

_Why this always happens?_

_And why do I have to be_

_The lone warthog?_

/Pumbaa concludes the song with a loud call, as if he is trying to call someone. Then, suddenly regretting it, he looks at the ground, and sees some warthog tracks. He sniffs them, and then runs away, terrified. Music stops./

Pumbaa sat down and tried to think, but suddenly thunder began. Then, heavy drops of rain began falling. Pumbaa got up, went to search for shelter, and some time later he found a small cave. He entered in it, and lied down.

"Well…" concluded Pumbaa in mind. "I am really the lone warthog. However, I'm still alive. Maybe there's a reason for that. Let's just wait and see."

And so, Pumbaa lied down with the stomach turned to the cave's ceiling, and began snoring.

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_What did you think? Sorry for making Pumbaa to suffer so much... it really pained me, he is my favourite non-lion character from the movies, but at the same time I wanted to solve the matter of Pumbaa's past life. This was the outcome. What do you think? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	7. Chapter 6: The Tree of Life

_Well, now I am publishing chapter 6 of my fanfic. I'm sorry if some of you waited very much. Zuzu (female) is copyrighted to the authors of "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" series. Sharia (female) is copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have permission to use her. Hivyo (male) and Athari (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now let's begin the chapter._

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**Chapter 6 – The Tree of Life**

Life on Pride Rock was going well, as well as possible. Simba and Nala were the youngest cubs of the pride, and were growing healthy. In the beginning, Sarabi and Sarafina had to stay with their cubs during day and night.

In those days, normally, Penda stayed with Sarabi, and Safura with Sarafina. Moyo always stayed with Sarafina and Nala, and even Mufasa made a supreme effort to always have some time for staying with Sarabi and Simba.

Around a week after Simba's and Nala's births, Sarabi and Sarafina already could go on hunt.

During the few times they went on hunt, they left Simba and Nala with Penda and Safura. Simba and Nala couldn't really move yet, and still had the eyes half-closed, so it wasn't too hard to take care of them.

Most of the other cubs didn't really care too much for Simba and Nala, as they hadn't enough age to play, but Tojo liked to stay with Simba and Nala, even though they were too small to move.

"You want to stay with cubs that don't even move?" asked Koza when he heard that.

"What a way to waste time." said Kianga, with an annoying expression.

Unfornately for them, Asmini heard them, and made them both to apologize to Tojo. They apologized, but, as a matter of fact, no one of the cubs really understood Tojo's attitude.

"They're somehow right." said Jani to her son, a little bit worried. "Why do you want to stay with them?"

"It's simple, Mom." said Tojo. "Here inside the cave it's more unlikely that I have an accident. I already had enough when I climbed the termite mound and the termites bit me."

"No one told you to climb the termite mound!" said Jani, in an angry voice.

"Calm down, Jani." said Mega, trying to calm down her daughter. "Don't get mad at Tojo. Besides, this is the reason for those things to happen. For we to learn."

"If that cheers you up, I'll stay with you." said Kula, placing her paw on Tojo's shoulder.

And so, Tojo and Kula were the only cubs from the pride that stayed with young Simba and Nala, while all the other cubs went to have fun. But Tojo and Kula also had fun with Simba and Nala, in their own way, and that always gave Penda and Safura some time to talk.

Two weeks after Simba and Nala's birth, the cubs opened their eyes. On that day, Sarabi and Sarafina saw the eyes of their cubs. Simba's eyes were brown, like Mufasa's and Sarabi's. One funny thing to notice about Nala's eyes was that Nala had blue-green eyes. That was quite funny because Sarafina had green eyes and Moyo had blue eyes.

"She doesn't look that much like you, after all." said Leo when he saw his niece's eyes.

"Oh yes, genius with elephant memory?" asked Sarafina, a little bit annoyed, but at the same fun.

Her brother's comments always made her to laugh a little bit.

"Yes." said Leo, chuckling. "And you're darker than her."

"For once, Leo is right." said Fani.

The only ones who seemed not to care at all with Simba and Nala were Scar and Zira. They seemed to live almost apart from the pride, and, always that Scar saw Simba, he gave him a look full of hatred.

Mega was getting more worried by the day. Scar always had been quite good at repressing his feelings, but, after passing so much time repressing them, for how much longer he would hang on?

When Simba and Nala were three weeks old, they finally started walking… well, in the beginning, Simba needed some help of Tojo, and Nala needed some help of Kula, but, after some time of practice, they managed to walk around twenty steps without falling.

When Mufasa, Sarabi, Moyo and Sarafina returned to the cave, they were all excited with the fact that Simba and Nala were walking. And even more surprising was when, right on that moment, Simba and Nala began talking. When Sarabi came close of her son, Simba said: "Mom."

There was the biggest excitement seen on Pride Rock for the last months, and when Nala also said: "Mom." when she looked at Sarafina. Some time later, when Simba and Nala were in separate parts of the cave, with their respective parents, both Nala and Simba said: "Dad."

Like usually, there was big excitement. But, the high point of the day was when Simba and Nala made a supreme effort, got up from their mothers' paws, and walked to each other without anyone holding them.

Sarabi and Sarafina followed their respective cubs, but without holding them, and Simba and Nala managed to go to each other. Then, Simba said: "Nala."

And Nala said: "Simba."

The two lionesses burst in laughter when they heard the words of their cubs.

"What's going on here?" asked Sabini, who was just passing by with Hiari.

"Yeah, aunt Sarabi, what happened?" asked Hiari.

"By what I could see, it was kind of weird." said Leo, who had seen almost everything of that situation. "Simba and Nala walked to each other, and they said eachother's names."

"That's unusual, in fact." said Penda, who was passing by.

"I have an idea." said Mufasa, who arrived shortly after Leo's talking. Moyo also came.

Mufasa exposed his idea: "Since Simba and Nala are so good friends, what about if we make them betrothed?"

"What?" asked Moyo. "Mufasa, don't you think it's a little bit early?"

"I can't see why." said Mufasa, smiling at Sarabi, and adding: "With us worked well."

"But you were older." said Penda, with a worried expression. "Simba and Nala are just young cubs."

"And betrothing doesn't work well always." said Sabini, also worried.

"Well, but Simba and Nala are friends." added Safura, trying to calm them down. "It can't work all too bad. And besides, for a wedding work out well, the pair doesn't have to be betrothed. I know one case…"

With those words, she looked at her daughter and at her son-in-law.

"I know, Mom." said Sarafina.

"But I think, if we all agree, that there is no problem in Simba and Nala beign betrothed."said Moyo.

"No." said Mufasa. "Alright, if we all agree, they can be betrothed."

After they deciding that, they noticed about three more members of the pride that were hearing the conversation: Scar, Zira, and Sakia.

Scar looked at Sakia, giving her a "What did I tell you?" look, and then he and Zira left the cave together.

"It seems that Scar was right." thought Sakia, watching Scar and Zira leaving the cave. "It took less than a month for Simba being betrothed to another cub. And it had to be with Nala."

Because Simba and Nala already were old enough, Mufasa decided that Simba's presentation to the herds should be two days later. Enough time for Rafiki to prepare everything what he needed.

"So…" said Mufasa, speaking to the whole cave. "I need someone to go to Rafiki's tree. Anyone volunteers?"

"I do!" said Tama, jumping excitedly.

"Why you, Tama?" asked Alama.

"I want to paint with Mr Rafiki's ink." said Tama. "He has nice ink colours, maybe he can give me one."

And so, Tama went to Rafiki's house, a big tree close to the border of the Pride Lands, called the Tree of Life.

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After some time of running, Tama finally arrived to the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life was the biggest and oldest tree of the Pride Lands. That is the reason why Rafiki, a wiseape, chose it to live, and make his divinations and general shamanistic preparings.

"It's so big." thought Tama when she saw it. "I hope Mr. Rafiki is in here."

When she arrived under the tree, she shouted: "Mr. Rafiki, are you in here?"

No answer.

"Mr. Rafiki, if you in here, can you come down?"

No answer again. However, after paying some attention, Tama heard some noises on the top of the tree, noises that could be made only by the activity of the mandrill.

"CAN YOU COME DOWN, MR RAFIKI?" shouted Tama, annoyed. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?"

"I didn't hear "please"." answered Rafiki's quiet voice from the top of the tree.

"Alright… can you come down, please?" asked Tama, sighing.

"Yes, I can." said Rafiki, chuckling.

After some short moments, Rafiki slipped down the tree with an amazing agility for a mandrill of his age.

"What do you want, my dear?" asked Rafiki to Tama, sitting dowm.

"Mr. Rafiki, I came here to tell you that Mr. Mufasa wants the presentation of Simba to be two days from now." said Tama.

"Oh, I see…" said Rafiki. "Thanks, Tama… but you didn't come here just to say this, right?"

"No, Mr Rafiki." said Tama excitedly. "I came here to ask you to climb to your tree and make some paintings with you. I paint well."

"Well, Tama, I can't let you." said Rafiki. "It's bad luck. Only shaman can see the paintings. Because these paintings aren't just for fun. They are also divinations. And if someone, besides the shaman, sees them, it means bad luck for who saw it."

"Alright then, Mr. Rafiki, then can you give me some of your inks, for me to paint?"

"That is one thing I can do." said Rafiki. "Wait a moment."

Rafiki climbed the tree, and some time later came down with two of his inks. But Tama still wanted one thing more.

"Mr. Rafiki, you're a wiseape, I can see that. But who was the wiseape in the Pride Lands before you?" asked Tama, jumping up and down excitedly.

"Uh…" said Rafiki… "That's a quite difficult story. But let's see… how was it? Oh yes… Mufasa was a young cub at that time, quite rebelious… and it all happened in a time when hyenas came to the Pride Lands."

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"Daddy." asked cub Mufasa to Ahadi, when he was just a small cub. "Can I go to play outside?"

Things had been getting well in the Pride Lands. Ahadi had accepted the thing that he would be king, and always went to his lessons with Mohatu, to learn everything what was necessary to rule that wonderful place. It rather surprised him how much a king needed to know to rule a kingdom.

But Ahadi was a good student, and Mohatu, Laini, and Uru were proud of him. As time passed, he became less fearful about being a king, but it look a lot more time to Ahadi become less fearful of another thing: to have cubs.

The deaths of two cubs early in his past life made Ahadi to become a lot fearful of having cubs with Uru. But, as time passed, Uru ended up pregnant, and had a cub with Ahadi. Much to his relief, the cub's birth was… well, a bit hard, but the cub was also big, so that was normal. The cub was a male, and was golden, just like Ahadi, but had Uru's brown eyes.

So, Ahadi became less fearful of having cubs. The golden cub was named Mufasa, and was quite rebelious, which made Ahadi and Uru having trouble to control him. Mufasa liked to play with the cubs in the pride, especially Sakia and Jani.

Mega and Mimea also ended up as a happy couple, and, some time before Mufasa's birth, their daughter, who they named Jani, was born. She was yellow, just like her mother, but had green eyes, possibly from one of Mega's unknown parents, since, according to what Mimea told him, her parents hadn't green eyes.

Sakia was a small cub with grey fur and blue eyes, who had been found and adopted by Uzuri. Uzuri, for some reason, didn't seem interested in have any real cubs, and when someone asked why, she answered: "It's my own secret. We all have secrets, I have this one."

On that day, Mufasa wanted to play outside, alone. Mufasa sometimes found rather annoying to play with girls, but there weren't too much cubs in the pride besides Sakia, Jani, and himself, and all the cubs were girls. But soon this wouldn't be a problem, because shortly after Mufasa's birth, Uru got pregnant again. This was rather dangerous, but now, the problem had begun. And soon Mufasa could have the wish of having a little brother to play with granted. Now, he only needed the wish to play outside granted.

"Uh… I don't know…" said Ahadi, turning to Uru. "Uru, do you think…"

"Ahadi!" said Uru, in a warning voice. "You're king now. You have to make up your own decisions."

When Mufasa was born, Mohatu and Laini stepped down, and Ahadi and Uru became king and queen. Ahadi felt somewhat nervous because of that, but he accepted it.

"Alright, Mufasa, you can go play."

"Hooray!" said Mufasa, running away, but on that moment Ahadi interrupted him.

"As long as Zuzu goes with you!"

"NO!" said Mufasa. "Not Zuzu!"

Zuzu was a female hornbill that helped Ahadi, and previously helped Mohatu, reporting everything what happened in the Pride Lands.

"I don't think this is a good idea." said Uru. "Zuzu is still in her morning round, Mufasa will have to wait."

"Uh… alright." said Ahadi. "Mufasa, you can go play outside. But be careful."

And so, Mufasa went outside Pride Rock, and wandered off to play alone.

But leaving him wander off outside seemed to be a bad idea. About an hour later, Zuzu flew back into the cave, shouting:

"King Mohatu! A problem! A big problem!"

"I'm not the king anymore, Zuzu." said Mohatu calmly. "Now Ahadi is the king."

So, Zuzu flew to Ahadi, who asked: "What's wrong, Zuzu?"

"It's hyenas!" said Zuzu. "A pack of hyenas entered the Pride Lands. There are twenty of them!"

"Mufasa!" shouted Ahadi in panic.. "We have to stop the hyenas. Laini, Uzuri, Mega, I need you three to come with me. Zuzu, find Mufasa!"

Ahadi didn't even realize that he was giving instructions, and he realized even less that they were being obeyed. Mega, Laini and Uzuri quickly went to him, and the four left the cave. Uru wanted to go as well, but Ahadi stopped her saying: "You're pregnant, you need to rest."

It was quite true. Uru's second pregnancy was already advanced, and she couldn't make too many efforts. This bored her, because she, as queen, and rightful heir, wanted to be inside the action, but Mohatu, much to her disagreement, said that Ahadi was right.

"Daddy!" said Jani, when she saw her father leaving the cave. "I want to go with you!"

But Mimea placed her paw on her daughter's tail, and asked: "Where do you think you're going?"

And so, Jani had to stay in the cave.

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Meanwhile, Mufasa was wandering in the Pride Lands, looking for something to do. Play alone was quite boring, but play always with girls was even more boring. He couldn't wait for having a younger brother to play with. Finally, after some time of thinking, he decided to practice pouncing. Now, he had to look for a proper target. Most of the animals were too big for him, and most of the small enough ones were too fast.

However, after some time of wandering, Mufasa found out the proper target to pounce. An old mandrill, who was just standing in a rock, apparently watching the landscape… no… he was in a meditative lotus position… The monkey had his back turned to him, so would be the right target.

Mufasa tried to recall everything that his mother and father had already taught him about pouncing. What was it… stay low to the ground… not a sound… and come close to his target very quickly…

And so, Mufasa approached the monkey while thinking of coming close. But, surprisingly, when he was about to pounce, he heard the monkey saying: "Will you come out now, or I'll have to make you?"

"Uh?" thought Mufasa. "He found me?"

"You're still too unexperienced for pouncing on a careful prey." said the mandrill. "Now come out."

Mufasa came out. The mandrill went to him, grabbing a strange stick that had some things tied on him, and asked: "Now, little one, what is your name?"

"Mufasa." said Mufasa. "Mufasa, prince of the Pride Lands."

"Oh… prince." said the monkey, chuckling, and bowing a little bit. "Well, I'm Rafiki."

Rafiki and Mufasa gave a hand/paw shake.

"Now, would you like to meet my family?" asked Mufasa.

"Well, I suppose so." said Rafiki. "I have to go on, but I think that losing a day or two won't harm very much."

But, before they could move on, Rafiki and Mufasa saw that around some twenty hyenas were staring at them. Two of them, a male and a female (the female seemed pregnant), advanced.

"Hyenas!" shouted the terrified Mufasa.

"Climb to the rock!" said Rafiki. "I'll fight them."

Rafiki placed Mufasa on the rock, and then turned to the hyenas, with an angry look, and waved his stick while he prepared to fight.

"Calm down." said the female. "No one is here to fight."

"Then what are you doing here?" asked Rafiki.

"Shouldn't start by introducing ourselves?" asked the male.

"Oh… alright." said Rafiki.

"I'm Sharia, leader of this clan, and this is my mate Hivyo." said the female hyena.

"I'm Rafiki." said Rafiki, bowing slightly in respect.

Then, Mufasa advanced to face the hyenas, and Rafiki stepped back to the top of the rock. Mufasa looked at Sharia, and said: "I'm Mufasa, prince of the Pride Lands."

"Oh… so could you take us to your father?" asked Hivyo.

"Why?" asked Mufasa.

"We want to ask him for permission to hunt in the Pride Lands."

"Permission?" asked Rafiki. "Since when the hyenas ask for permission for anything? That is against the Circle of Life."

Mufasa was beginning to get confused, because Ahadi and Uru hadn't yet taught him anything about the Circle of Life, as he was still a cub, and, like Uru was pregnant, they would have to wait for the second cub to be born and quite old, and then they would have to teach them both.

"But is the correct way." replied Sharia.

"No way!" shouted a voice between the hyenas.

A female hyena, with a lot of scars in her fur (about half of those seemingly made by claws and teeth of lions, and the other half seeming like bites of other hyenas), stepped forward, and faced Sharia and Hivyo. The leaders of the clan just couldn't help but to feel a little bit worried. That hyena was named Athari, and she was probably the hyena with the most troubled personality of the clan. She always used to bring problems, because she seemed to hate anything unusual. The scarred hyena said: "We are all sick of your rulling methods. They are anti-Circle-of-Life."

"Did anyone of our methods cost the life to a single hyena of this clan?" asked Sharia, beginning to get furious.

"No, but now it will!" said Athari. "Do you really think that the so-called King of the Pride Lands will allow us to be here? You don't know lions. They will kill the whole clan! So, we can't notify them of our presence in this land. And the first one to go will be the prince!"

And the hyena tried to bite Mufasa. However, she felt somewhat surprised when she felt a stick hitting her in the head. It was Rafiki. He gave a battle scream, and jumped, stepping between the hyenas and Mufasa, while Mufasa stepped back to the top of the rock.

"Let's get the monkey!" shouted Athari.

Instantly, all the hyenas jumped to Rafiki, however Sharia and Hivyo blocked them.

"Not one more step!" said Hivyo.

"As leader of the clan, I order you to stop and apologize!" shouted the furious Sharia. "You should be shameful of your behaviour!"

"For you to be a leader, your clan must accept you as so!" said Athari. "Get them!"

And so, most of the hyenas attacked Rafiki, who persistently tried to throw the hyenas away, waving his stick with one hand and hitting the hyenas, and giving punches and kicks on those who avoived the stick with his left hand and feet.

Poor Mufasa was too small to do anything, and only stepped back in the top of the rock, watching the scene with fear.

"Daddy!" thought Mufasa, while looking to the fighting animals. "Mommy! Grandpa! Grandma! Help me!"

He would have screamed, with all of his strenght, however his voice seemed to be locked in his throat. He could only watch, and quiver with fear.

Meanwhile, four of the hyenas attacked Sharia and Hivyo, who couldn't really understand the reason for the rebelion. Sharia, in particular, was really confused.

"Why?"thought Sharia, while fighting two of the hyenas. "Why does it have to be like that? I and Hivyo always did the best for the clan, and now they pay us like that. I and Hivyo are surrounded by idiots!"

But the idiots were attacking, and were in bigger numbers. The only thing she could do was to wait for a miracle.

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Meanwhile, Zuzu had been guiding the four lions from high, trying to find Mufasa, and hoping in her mind that they would find him before the hyenas.

"Why today?" thought Zuzu. "Great Kings of the Past, guide us to Mufasa, please!"

Fortunately, right on that time, Zuzu found Mufasa. And she saw a terrible thing. She could see the hyenas. Around twenty hyenas. And all were trying to get Mufasa! But there was something more… a strange monkey was standing between Mufasa and the hyenas, hitting the hyenas with a stick. For for how long he would hang on?

"There!" though Zuzu from high. "I can see the hyenas. Mufasa is on the top of a small rock, and the hyenas are trying to attack him! A strange monkey seems to be protecting him! But there are too much hyenas! It won't take too much time before one of them manages to kill Mufasa!"

"Mufasa is in danger." though Ahadi, terrified. "The hyenas will… no way! I'll show them what happens to any hyena that dares to touch a single hair of my son!"

"Let's go!" shouted Ahadi to the lions that followed him. "The hyenas are up there! ATTACK!"

The last word was said with a voice of uncontrolled rage, hatred, and also fear. Fear of what would happen to Mufasa.

Soon, Laini, Mega, and Uzuri followed him, running at full speed. It wasn't long 'till the lions came close, and roared together.

Mufasa turned around, and saw his father… coming with his grandmother, Mega, and Uzuri. He was saved!

"Daddy!" shouted Mufasa.

Rafiki stopped hitting the hyenas when he saw the lions approaching.

All the hyenas stopped their attack when they heard the roar of the lions. Even Sharia and Hivyo stopped their fights. They turned around, and were terrified. Two lions and two lionesses were running at them, and they all had a glimpse of the typical hatred that lions have for hyenas, and that goes back ever since lions and hyenas lived together. The hulky golden lion of black mane and green eyes was the one who scared more the hyenas, but the lion with orange mane and the two lionesses weren't too less scary.

Instantly, all the hyenas felt completely terrified. When lions attack and have advantage on their side, there's only one rule: run for life.

"Run away!" shouted the hyena with the scars.

But it was too late. Lions are faster than hyenas. And these lions were running fueled by deep hatred, like hyenas were running fueled by deep fear.

Ahadi, who was at the front, pounced on the first hyena that he saw. It was Hivyo. Hivyo shouted from pain, but also from fear, when he felt the lion pouncing on him.

"That's it!" thought the terrified Hivyo. "I'm over… maybe they are right… trying alliance with lions is a bad idea… oh no! They will kill Sharia as well!"

"Run away, Sha…" started to shout Hivyo, but it was too late.

The lion gave Hivyo an extremely powerful smack that made Hivyo to say nothing more… he only shouted from pain. Ahadi's smack broke his right shoulder, and at least three ribs.

"He may be dead…" thought Ahadi, looking at the hyena. "But I must be sure!"

And so, Ahadi bit Hivyo's neck with all the strenght he had, and Hivyo died after giving one last agonizing whimper.

Sharia, who was running with the rest of the pride, heard Hivyo's whimper, and turned back, right on time to see Ahadi dropping Hivyo's dead body.

"Hivyo!" she thought. "Oh, Great Spirit! The clan was right! Alliance with lions was a mistake… Hivyo!"

She didn't feel fear anymore while she looked at Ahadi's eyes. She only felt something she had never felt before… an insane will of kill the lion and avenge her mate.

"I'll get you for that!" she thought, while charging at the big lion. "Even if it's the last thing I'll do!"

Ahadi was rather surprised when he saw Sharia charging at him. But it wouldn't make any difference. She would die, along with the other hyenas of the clan. Sharia jumped at Ahadi's neck, and tried her best to bite Ahadi's throat. If she managed to bite the jugular, Ahadi would die, it didn't matter the fact of he being bigger than her. And Hivyo would be avenged.

But she made a small mistake. It was too difficult to bite through the lion's thick mane. She got her mouth full of hairs, and the lion, just by waving his head, threw her of him, and gave her a heavy blow that threw her some meters away. Ahadi didn't even care about killing her.

"She'll surely die." thought Ahadi, while moving to the next hyena. "But if doesn't, I'll kill her later."

Meanwhile, the other hyenas were running away, without looking behind. Any short stop would give the lions more ground. Athari, however, was feeling somewhat victorious.

"I knew it!" she thought. "Hivyo and Sharia had to die. Their odd way of rulling the clan would some day lead them to their deaths. It was deserved!"

But the scarred hyena stopped her thoughts when she felt one of the lionesses pouncing on her. It was the one with the blue eyes and pale yellow-brown fur.

"However, the normal way of rulling doesn't care at all if I'll die as well!" thought Athari.

And these were her last thoughts. The lioness slashed her throat with a terrible strenght, and then moved on to kill the next hyena.

Mufasa was looking from the rock, without understanding. So many creatures killed… the gentle lions of his pride transforming in strangers who murdered without mercy… when the leader of the clan only wanted to speak…

The technique of the lions seemed to be fast. They pounced on the first hyena they caught, slashed her on vulnerable places, like throat, stomach, or face, and then moved to the next hyena. Because of that strategy, soon the hyenas were all dead.

"It's over." said Mega, sitting down. "The problem of the hyenas is solved, and Mufasa is found."

"Mufasa!" thought Ahadi. "Is he alright? I must go to him!"

Ahadi ran to Mufasa, who was being hugged by the strange mandrill, who seemed trying to calm him down.

"Mufasa!" said Ahadi. "Are you alright?"

Rafiki released Mufasa and tried to send him to Ahadi. But Mufasa didn't want to speak with his father. He was scared of him, a thing that he never thought to be possible, but when he saw his father covered in blood, he cried and tried to hide behind Rafiki again.

"Get out!" shouted Ahadi. "Get out, all of you."

That was because Mega, Laini and Uzuri also returned. No one of them was less covered in blood that Ahadi, and Mega and Uzuri were even more than him. But… under the blood covering… they seemed the same lions… but why they had to kill the hyenas?

Ahadi could see that his son was scared, and tried to calm him down.

"Don't be afraid, Mufasa." said Ahadi in a gentle voice. "That's just… well…"

"Why did you have to kill them?" shouted Mufasa.

"Because they would have killed you if they survived." said Ahadi.

Mufasa didn't seem too convinced, but after some time of calming talking of Ahadi, Mega, Uzuri, Laini and Rafiki, finally Mufasa recovered, and said, feeling more cheered up: "But you didn't see Rafiki, dad! He has an amazing fighting technique!"

"So you're Rafiki?" asked Ahadi, bowing slightly. "I'm Ahadi, king of the Pride Lands."

After the introductions, Rafiki went into his bag, took some plants, put them inside a small bowl, squashed them with a stone, put some water inside the bowl, and he obtained some strange mixing that he placed on the wounds of the lions.

"You seem to be useful to the Pride Lands, Rafiki." said Ahadi in an intriguing voice. "Come with me to meet the other members of the pride. Zuzu, sit on my shoulder, you must be tired of flying. Rafiki, maybe you want also to ride on me."

And so, Laini picked Mufasa by the scruff, Rafiki climbed on Ahadi, and they all returned to Pride Rock. But something disturbed Ahadi. He saw a short trail of blood. It should have been left by the hyena that had pounced on him… the same that he didn't really care for kill.

"Never mind." thought Ahadi. "A lone hyena can't do anything. Let's return to Pride Rock. There were too much deaths for one day."

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"And so, after meeting Queen Uru, and former king Mohatu, they had a talk, and they decided that I would be the first wiseape of the Pride Lands." concluded Rafiki.

"Wow!" said Tama, who had been paying extreme attention. "That was an amazing story, Mr. Rafiki."

"Amazing?" asked Rafiki, in an intriguing voice. "Even considering the deaths of those hyenas?"

"Well, that was the bad part… but all the stories have one." said Tama.

"Tama!" shouted a voice.

They turned around, and saw Zazu, a hornbill, and the current majordomo of Mufasa, landing in front of Tama.

"What is it, Zazu?" asked Tama.

But she soon realized when she looked at the sun. Sun was almost setting. Tama had gotten there too late while hearing Rafiki's story.

"You must return to Pride Rock, Tama." said Zazu. "Your mother and the pride are worried."

"Alright." said Tama. "I'll go then. See ya, Mr. Rafiki!"

"Goodbye!" said Rafiki, waving at Tama. "Tomorrow, you can come back to have your inks!"

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Tama arrived on Pride Rock some time later. By that time, it was night already. But Tama arrived safely.

"Tama, where have you been?" asked Alama, licking her daughter. "Didn't you know I would be worried?"

"Yes, mom…" said Tama, ashamed. "Mr. Rafiki told me a story, and I lost counsciousness of time."

"Alright…" said Alama. "This time, you're forgiven."

"At least, did you tell Rafiki about Simba's presentation?" asked Mufasa to Tama.

"Yes, Mr. Mufasa." said Tama. "Don't worry."

"Alright." said Alama. "Now let's sleep. It's late."

And so, Tama went to sleep, and her dreams were filled with the paintings that she would do with Rafiki's inks.

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_Well... what did you think? I'm sorry, I know that Rafiki normally has a "messed-up" talking, but I was unable to recreate it. So show plenty of respect to Jagabor and the other authors who can do it. Or maybe it is just me being stupid... Whatever, please, review! I still need feedback!_


	8. Chapter 7: Look beyond what you see

_Well, this one is chapter 7. I'm sorry, I know that a lot of it looks like the third movie, but this fanfic is also mixing The Lion King and The Lion King 1,5. I ask you to read with all the attention that you can, though, because sometimes those parts have some important differences, eventhough most of them is from the movie._

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**Chapter 7 – Look beyond what you see**

Timon was walking through the limits of the Pride Lands, after crossing a river that had a trunk serving as bridge. During the last three weeks, Timon had tried to live in the Outlands. In the beginning wasn't too bad, after all he didn't have to dig, to have the company of the other meerkats, or tho share the food with anyone.

But, as time passed, it became quite boring, because there only termites to eat, because there was very little water, and mainly, because he also had to hide. Maybe he didn't have to dig the holes, but he also had to hide. Not of the lions, the only lions he knew in the Outlands were Shimo, and Bovu.

One day when Timon met Shimo, the young cub decided to introduce Timon to his father, and, eventhough Timon and Bovu, well… got along, Bovu didn't like the idea of always following Timon to protect him.

"I already have to worry with my son, I don't need to worry with a meerkat." answered Bovu when Timon asked him the favour.

And protection was really needed in the Outlands, much more than it seemed at the first sight. Timon discovered that, because, after some days of living in the Outlands, he realized that there were lots of hyenas going there. And the hyenas went there in search for hunt. There wasn't exactly too much preys for the hyenas in that dry and barren place, but the hyenas seemed determined in cleaning the Outlands of any living creature. What would surely include Timon.

And he became even more scared when he saw that, among those hyenas, where the ones who had killed his father. Because of that, Timon soon dropped the idea of living in the Outlands. At first, he tried to stay there for some time more to stay there, but soon he realized that he couldn't.

The main things that he wanted to look for: a hammock, a cooling breeze, a patch of green, a ripping stream, and lots of bugs. No one of those things was found in the Outlands. And besides, he had to hide. Maybe he hadn't to dig, but he had to hide. And that was no where in his plans.

So, after saying goodbye to Bovu and Shimo, Timon decided to leave the Outlands. Maybe he wouldn't find the perfect paradise too soon, but the perfect paradise wouldn't be the Outlands.

And so, after almost three weeks of life in the Outlands, Timon, decided to leave. After some time of walking, and after crossing a river filled with crocodiles, he had arrived to the Pride Lands. They looked much better from the point of view of feeding, but also should be more filled with danger, because all the big predators hide in the savannah. So, in a last attempt to avoid danger, Timon turned to west, and started walking, looking for a safe place to sleep. After some hours of walking, when it was late night already, he ended arriving in the base of the Tree of Life.

And the day finally came. During three weeks, he hadn't felt any moment of indecision about leaving the colony, about making his father's dream come true. But now, for the first time since the day he had left the colony, he had a moment of indecision. He realized what he had been doing. He had left his family behind. He had thrown himself to a world whose dangers he wasn't ready to face. And… he had caused his father's death. If it wasn't for him making Uncle Max to apologize to his father, Buzz would have never been outside the den when the beaten hyena returned with his two friends. So, for the first time, since he could ever remember, Timon stopped and cried: "Mommy, Mommy! Aah! Ha-Ha! What am I doing? Which way should I go?"

"That depends on what you seek." said Rafiki, jumping from the Tree of Life, and landing just in the front of Timon.

Rafiki heard Timon's screams. They were so loud that they woke up the old mandrill. And one of the things that made Rafiki a good shaman and wiseape was that he tried to help every creature that had a problem. Timon seemed to be with quite big problems. Maybe they weren't physical, but Rafiki also had medicines for psicological problems. So, he grabbed his stick, from which he never separated, and jumped from the top of the tree, landing in front of Timon, ready to help him. All that was necessary to prepare for Simba's presentation is prepared, and so Rafiki had nothing more to do.

But in the beginning, Rafiki didn't get the effect that he wanted. From the first impression, he only managed to scare the meerkat, who was already disturbed emotionally more than enough without needing someone to startle him.. Timon screamed even more, quite scared, like it's normal when someone speaks to us by surprise.

"Who is this weird monkey?" thought Timon. "What is he doing here? He will kill me! No, he won't kill me. I will protect myslef. I am Son of Fearless Buzz, I won't be scared by an old monkey."

So, Timon tried to show himself recovered as quickly as he managed, and asked to Rafiki, in a voice that shown some fear: "Where'd you come from?"

"Or, the better question is, where are you going?" told Rafiki between laughs.

"That is the right question." thought Timon, while trying to think on the answer. "It's a shame I don't have the right answer. Ever since the day when I left the colony, not even for a moment I had the right answer. Unfortunately, I don't know the way to paradise. I really don't know any way. But let's ask the monkey. Who knows, maybe this monkey knows the way to some kind of paradise. I can ask him."

"Uhhh…" answered Timon, trying to think on an answer. "I… I… I… you don't care if you have to wait some moments, do you?"

"I can wait." said Rafiki calmly.

"Good." thought Timon. "He can wait. Now let's think about the right way to describe the place that I want to look for.".

After some seconds of thinking, Timon said: "I want to go to… to…to live in some beautiful place, _outside_, in a carefree place where I don't have to hide or worry."

Finally, Rafiki understood the kind of personality of the meerkat. He was one of those guys who didn't like to hide, and liked to live life always with joy, and without having to worry with anything. Fortunately for him, Rafiki knew the right place. But telling it directly would be too easy. If the meerkat really wanted the paradise, he would have to fight for it. So, Rafiki decided to come up with one of his typical riddles.

"Who hoo hoo hoo!" said Rafiki, jumping to the ground. "Life without worry! You seek Hakuna Matata."

"Harpoon a tomato?" asked Timon, slightly confused.

He tried to ask the monkey if he knew the place, and now the monkey answered him to harpoon a tomato? If he didn't knew the place, at least he should say it. But Timon soon discovered that he misunderstood the monkey, because the monkey repeated: "Hakuna Matata, it means "No Worries"."

"Perfect!" said Timon. Now he was beginning to feel cheered up. Now he only had to know the way. "Could you please taking that stick of yours and drawing a map, bub?"

Rafiki didn't like that. The meerkat seemed to be one of those guys who wanted everything ready. Timon wanted the paradise, but not wanted to look hard for it. At least, not without taking a little push. And Rafiki knew the right thing to stimulate Timon. Rafiki smacked Timon on the head with his stick. Not with too much strenght, because he was a meerkat, and a hit could hurt. Then, Rafiki went into a meditative lotus position, and said, in a mystic and slow tune: "To find it, you must look beyond what you see."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" asked Timon.

He was beginning to get annoyed with the monkey. It seemed that he knew the place, but at the same it seemed that he didn't want to tell. Probably because it was such a good paradise that he wanted to keep him just for himself. However, Timon tried to ask again. The monkey tried to explain him better.

"It means, look beyond what you see." said Rafiki, in the same mystic and slow tune, but at the same time waving his stick at the horizon.

"Beyond what I see…" said Timon, imitating Rafiki. "Get a load of the monkey, gettin' all existential on me."

Now he got it. He would have to look to the horizon, and look for something unnatural, and hard to see. But what was the something unnatural that he could see? He could see the savannah, high grass in front of him, the moon hidden behind some strange rock, some trees, two small pools, a frog croaking on a rock, a big tree closer, the frog croaking again, the moon again hidden behind the strange rock, a termite mound, a pile of rocks, the small pools again, a small tree on the top of a hill, the moon hidden behind the rock… finally! When Timon sees Pride Rock on the horizon, he has an inspiration:

"Oh, wait a second! It's coming to me! It's either that slug I ate or I'm having an epiphany! I'm going to the big pointy rock! Right?"

Timon turned around, trying to ask for confirmation to Rafiki, but, when he turned around, Rafiki had vanished! Simply. Timon didn't even hear him climbing back to the top of the tree. It could have been said that the monkey had evaporated! And without confirming if Timon was right!

"Who was that strange monkey?" thought Timon, thinking if he had actually seen a monkey, or if it was just a dream.

But why to care about that anyway? He had anything to lose. He had only to win. And the highest prize was a dream home. So, Timon said: "Ah, well, Dream home, here I come!"

And so, Timon started to walk in Pride Rock's direction, entering the savannah, entering his new life, and entering in a ground where no meerkat once stood.

"Well, I could say that the meerkat will find his paradise." thought Rafiki, watching him leaving from the top of the Tree of Life, and disappearing in the high grass of the savannah. Then, he came back to inside his tree, and thought if he should to keep sleeping.

But, just then, he saw another creature walking to him. Or better to say, walking in the direction of his tree. It was a warthog. A warthog with an incredibly sad look on his eyes.

The warthog's name was Pumbaa. Pumbaa was again wandering in the Pride Lands, deeply depressed.

After his unsuccesfull journey to the Outlands, Pumbaa really had no reasons more to live. I mean, he had nothing to do, nothing to motivate him. He was alone, having no where to go, having no hobby, and no friends. And he couldn't walk around with too much relaxing, because, if he wasn't careful enough, Gwasi and the sounder, or any kind of predator, would certainly kill him. What was the point of living like that?

He then thought about the two lions he knew. Bovu and Shimo. Father and son. Although Bovu was a little bit angry with Shimo when he behaved badly, Pumbaa understood that Bovu and Shimo loved eachother, like real father and son should love. And, for the first time in his life, he was jealous about someone.

Shimo had a father, a father who loved him and would be with him. And Bovu had a son, and had once a mate, eventhough she was dead. And he, Pumbaa? Nothing. He had nothing. Father and mother? Devoured. Son? No female warthog would accept to stay with him… just because of his… special ability. Couldn't anyone see that physical look isn't the only thing that matters?

But, if no one really saw that, what was the hope for him getting a new friend? Well, maybe he would get an answer on the next morning. Maybe some kind of miracle would happen. It was his last hope.

So, Pumbaa sat down a big tree, and said: "What am I gonna do? Why no one wants to be my friend?"

"Maybe you didn't look in the right place?" asked Rafiki, descending the Tree of Life.

Unlike Timon, Pumbaa didn't get startled. He barely realised that the monkey was talking to him. But then, he understood, and turned around, to see the monkey looking at him. The mandrill seemed gentle, and Pumbaa wanted to talk to someone, so, trying to remember what the mandrill told him, he asked: "What´s your name?"

"I'm old Rafiki." said Rafiki, chuckling.

"I'm Pumbaa." said Pumbaa, smiling a little bit.

Rafiki and Pumbaa gave a hand/paw shake. Now, Pumbaa really wanted to return to the original theme of the talking, the line said by the monkey. Maybe that would be his last chance of having a friend… someone to talk with… So, Pumbaa made a question to Rafiki:

"What do you mean by the right place?"

"I mean, you must look beyond what you see." said Rafiki pointing with the stick at the horizon.

Pumbaa looked at the place where the stick pointed. And he saw something. Rafiki pointed to Pride Rock. He knew it. Pride Rock was called like that because a pride lived there. But what this crazy monkey was thinking? The lions wouldn't certainly be his friends. Bovu and Shimo became friends with him, but it seemed that it was only because they had a stomach problem that made his meat hard to digest to them. Or maybe they really wanted to be his friends?

But those would surely be the exceptions to confirm the rule. Any other lion would surely turn against Pumbaa and eat him. The only times when the lions didn't eat anyone were in the days of sacred peace. The last one had been some four months ago… in the funeral of the previous king, Ahadi. So, why Rafiki said to Pumbaa go to Pride Rock?

"Uh… you don't think that the lions in Pride Rock will accept me, right?" asked Pumbaa, slightly nervous.

"He seems to think faster than the meerkat." thought Rafiki.

But he only added loud: "No, I meant that you must look beyond what you see."

Pumbaa stared at the horizon, and began thinking. Beyond what he saw… the last think he saw was Pride Rock, so… he would have to look and go beyond Pride Rock. It seemed the only logical thing.

He turned to Rafiki in an attempt to ask for confirmation, but the mandrill… vanished!

"What on the hell happened here?" thought Pumbaa. "Well, that's not time for questions. Let's just go to Pride Rock."

And so, Pumbaa got up, lifted his tail, and went trotting in Pride Rock's direction.

Timon entered a stand of high grasses, walking calmly. Finally, things were going quite well. Someone had given him an advice to look for a paradise, and there weren't any nocturnal predators around. Just himself. But being a lonely meerkat normally means trouble. Pratically all the predators are big enough to eat a meerkat. But Timon never liked to think in a negative way, so he just walked to Pride Rock.

Until the time when he heard a snapping sound, that is. Timon turned around, trying to see what was coming close. Probably it was that stange and wise monkey again. Timon tried to call for him: "Ah… oh-h… hello? Strange but wise monkey?"

But the monkey didn't answer. The only answer that Timon got was a sound made by some birds. At that moment, a flock of birds took of the ground, and startled him again. Timon tried to climb the rock, in a last attempt to avoid the coming danger, but then he heard a strange sound. He had never heard that sound before. Timon turned around, and saw somewhere, between the high grass, a strange form walking towards him. The form was almost undistinguishable, but it seemed menacing.

So, Timon jumped of the rock and started to run with all of his strenght, while the roar continued to pursue him. Timon risked looking behind one last time, just to see that the strange form was clearly following him. Timon ran even faster. The strange form seemed to stop following him. It should have vanished. But suddenly, Timon collided into a huge snout that was blocking his path. For him, the snout came out from nowhere. But, in fact, the snout was from Pumbaa, who had been chasing Timon. He saw the poor meerkat, and thought that it was dangerous for such a little guy. So, he tried to follow him, but he ran away. However, Pumbaa was as surprised by seeing the meerkat as Timon was by seeing the warthog.

They both screamed half to death, during some time. It could be said that both thought that the other was a scream. It took some time before they stopped screaming. Then, Timon spoke to the warthog, life if he was begging for mercy: "Just eat me now… but please make it fast! I haven't a high threshold for pain!"

Then, Timon, whose legs didn't seem to be obeying him, just fell to the ground with fear.

"Easy there, little guy." said Pumbaa, bowing his head to the meerkat, trying to calm him down. "I'm not gonna eat you!"

"You're not?" said Timon, surprised.

But surprise was quickly replaced by indignation, when he almost shouted to Pumbaa. "They why were you chasing me?"

"Uhhh…." answered Pumbaa, trying to think for a good answer. "I saw you go and thought that a little fellow like you shouldn't be here all alone."

"What about you?" asked Timon, who seemed surprised by the warthog's talking. "You're alone!"

Timon suddenly got apprehensive. How to know that the warthog was alone? Maybe he wasn't. He had to ask: "You're alone, aren't you?"

"Yeah." said Pumbaa, making a slightly sad expression. "Most of animals give me a pretty wide berth."

At that moment, an idea began to form itself in Timon's head. Maybe the warthog would be useful after all. Timon asked: "Even the hungry ones?"

"I drive almost everyone away." said Pumbaa, with a sad voice. "Most of animals see me arriving and run for cover. They can't get out of the way fast enough."

Timon held one of Pumbaa's hooves, playing with it like a pair of scissors. Maybe the warthog would be really useful to help him in his journey to the pointy rock. Then, Timon said to the warthog: "You don't say, you don't say! It must me from the gleam of your vicious tusks, right? It strikes fear into their hearts."

"Actually, they say I wreck their appetite." said Pumbaa, still sad.

He didn't understand the meerkat's talking. His tusks striked fear into the hearts of some smaller predators, like leopards, cheetahs, and even lone hyenas, but not on all the animals. For that, there was another thing. And the meerkat seemed satisfied.

"Wow…" said Timon. "It's like you have this-this… special power."

"Special power?" said Pumbaa, backing away nervously. The meerkat seemed to be getting to the point. He had a special power. Maybe it was in fact too powerful for his own good.

Pumbaa concluded: "Well, i-it's pretty powerful, all right."

With those words, the warthog gestured slightly at his rump, and a low sound of gases coming out was heard.

Timon didn't notice the slight gesture that Pumbaa made, or the sound of the gas. He was just thinking about himself. The warthog would be perfect to help him to find Hakuna Matata. Timon said, barely repressing his excitment:

"Perfect! You're hired!"

"Great!" said Pumbaa, smiling for the first time eversince the talking began.

But then he asked, becoming sad again:. "Uhh… for what?"

"To get me to a little worry-free haven out of that big pointy rock!" said Timon happily.

Then Timon pointed to Pride Rock. Pumbaa was beginning to understand. The meerkat also wanted to go to Pride Rock, for some particular reason. He just didn't know why, and knew even less why the meerkat wanted his company. Nobody ever wanted purposely his company. Except Tisa… but she was dead…

"And… you want me to come with you?" asked Pumbaa to the meerkat, without believing that someone would come with him.

"Ha ha!" laughed Timon. "Do you see any other big lovable chunk of warthog here, who also happens to have razor-sharp tusks and the ability to repel predators?"

Timon grinned ingratiatingly. Pumbaa finally realized that the meerkat really wanted his company.

"I'm your pig!" said Pumbaa, happily.

"You and me…" said Timon, climbing to Pumbaa's snout, and looking him on one of his eyes. "I can tell… we see eye to eye."

"You mean, like friends?" asked Pumbaa, hopefully.

Since the talking became more friendly, Pumbaa had a secret hope. The secret hope that this would be the friend that Rafiki had talked to him about. He just needed to ask that question to obtain the final confirmation. But this didn't seem to be exactly the meerkat's idea.

"Whoa, easy there, big fella…" said Timon, jumping immediately from Pumbaa's snout, and seeming to get a little bit scared.

Then, Timon said: "I'd say more like…" Timon makes "quotes" with his fingers. "… acquaintances."

"Oh…" said Pumbaa, a bit disappointed.

After all, it seemed that this wasn't the friend that Rafiki told him about. Or maybe it was? At least, the meerkat tolerated his company. He was one of the few creatures that tolerated his company. Pumbaa brightened, and said: "Well, that's enough to start."

"Put'er there, acquaintance." said Timon.

Timon and Pumbaa gave a hand/hoof shake, and Timon presented himself: "I'm Timon."

"Pumbaa!" said Pumbaa.

"No, really." said Timon.

That name seemed rather weird. He had never heard of him.

But, when Pumbaa grinned sincerely at him, Timon was convinced that this could well be the warthog's real name, and said: "All right then, let's hit the road!"

Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back. This surprised Pumbaa for some moments. The meerkat seemed to really like him. Maybe if Pumbaa allowed Timon to ride on his back, they would become closer friends.

So, the suine walked on Pride Rock's direction, saying: "You got it… acquaintance."

"So, clear up one thing for me." said Timon, still confused for Pumbaa not wanting to eat him.

It is a relatively known fact that most warthogs are omnivores. If they managed to catch some kind of meat animal, they would eat him. Pumbaa didn't eat him. So, Timno asked: "If you weren't gonna eat me, what kind of a wacky wild pig are you?"

"I'm an insect eater." answered Pumbaa happily.

"Oh ho! A bug eater! Well, me too. I just never had a name for it. I'm kinda partial to the crawly critters myself. How about you, big boy?"

"I prefer the ones with wings." said Pumbaa, smiling.

"Pumbaa, this could be the start of a beautiful… acquaintanceship." said Timon.

He wanted to say "friendship" but he had already proclaimed that didn't want to be friends with the warthog, only wanted to walk with him. But at least, his journey already wasn't alone.

And so, Pumbaa walked on Pride Rock's direction, with Timon on his back. Things were both getting better for them Timon now knew the way to find his dream paradise, and Pumbaa had… not a new friend yet, but at least someone to talk with.

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_What did you think? Maybe Pumbaa got over his grief too quickly... but I guess that all what he wanted was a friend, and Rafiki "gave" him one. Please review! I still need opinions._


	9. Chapter 8: The presentation

_Well, this is chapter 8 of my fanfic. Arista (male) and Malkha (female) are copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use them. Hanja (male) and Imani (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. VERY IMPORTANT WARNING HERE: Malkha is a hebrew word for queen, and IS NOT to be mistaked with the male cub Malka from the comic "Simba's New Brother"! Got that? Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 8 – The presentation**

/Opening chant to "Circle of Life", song. It's like the one seen in the movie. The parenthetical parts are translations. We see the sunrise in the savannah. On the lyrics, the parts between oblique dashes are translations. The parts between round brackets are either counterpoint singing. The parts between hyphens are the number of times that a verse repeats./

_Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba /Here comes a lion, father/_

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama /Oh, yes, it's a lion/_

/We see various animals lifting their heads at the sunrise: antelopes, a rhinoceros, a cheetah, meerkats, and marabou storks./

_Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba /Here comes a lion, father/_

_Sithi uhhmm ingonyama /Oh, yes, it's a lion/_

_Ingonyama_

_Siyo Nqoba_

_Ingonyama_

/One of the marabou storks begins flying. Camera changes place some times, and we some animals making their way, one at a time: some birds, elephants, flamingoes, and antelopes./

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala /A lion and a leopard come to this open place/ -Repeats five times-_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Sitha ngqwa)_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Eshe) -Repeats once-_

/"Circle of Life" song. It's like the one seen in the movie, but the didaskalia scenes are a little bit different. An adult giraffe and a younger come from a place in the shade to a place in the sun./

_From the day when we arrive on the planet_

_And blinkingly step in the sun_

/Camera changes its perspective, and we see that the giraffes are looking to a larger concentration of animals. And the two giraffes join them./

_There's more to see than can ever be seen_

/Camera changes to some ants that carry leaves on their jaws, while a herd of zebras walks below them./

_More to do than can ever be done._

/A group of guinea fowls walks in front of an elephant herd. of an elephant herd. Both the elephants and the guinea fowls come slowly closer to the camera./

_There's far too much to take in here_

_More to find that can ever be found_

/An elephant almost steps one late guinea fowl, but the bird manages to avoid him right on time. Then the camera changes to the reflection of the sun in the river./

_But the sun rolling high_

/Camera changes to a herd of zebras (probably the same that passed below the ants) crossing the river./

_Through the sapphire sky_

/Camera changes to other animals crossing the river, like wildebeest and antelopes. An elephant is seen among them, and some birds have landed on the elephant's tusks./

_Keeps great and small on the endless round_

/Then the camera focuses on Pride Rock, and approaches it. Zazu is seen flying to Mufasa, while the camera keeps approaching Pride Rock./

_It's the Circle of Life_

_And it moves us all_

/Zazu bows to Mufasa, and Mufasa smiles at him./

_Through despair and love_

_Through faith and hope_

/Then Rafiki passes between ranks of animals, and all the animals bow at him. Rafiki climbs Pride Rock to where Mufasa is standing./

_Till we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

/Then Rafiki and Mufasa embrace./

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life_

/The song temporarially stops, but the main soundtrack continues. Mufasa leads Rafiki to where Sarabi is holding Simba. Mufasa and Sarabi nuzzle. At that moment, Rafiki waves his stick close to Simba, and Simba tries to hit him. Then, the mandrill breaks a fruit, and puts some juice of it on Simba's head. Then, he collects some sand, and puts it over Simba. Simba sneezes. Then, Rafiki picks Simba up, and goes to the point of Pride Rock. Mufasa and Sarabi follow him. At the edge of Pride Rock, Rafiki holds Simba up to the crowd to view. All the animals greet Simba, and the song continues./

_It's the Circle of Life_

_And it moves us all_

/Then the camera focuses on Simba, who seems somewhat surprised for seeing so many animals./

_Through despair and hope_

_Through faith and love_

_Till we find our place_

/A sunbeam highlights Rafiki and Simba on Pride Rock. Mufasa and Sarabi look up, and, in some clouds gathered together, they can see a lion that looks like Mufasa, but has black mane, and green eyes, and a lioness with brown fur and brown eyes. They are Ahadi and Uru. Mufasa looks at them, smiling, but at the same time with tears in his eyes. Ahadi and Uru smile at Mufasa and Sarabi, as they watch Simba being presented./

_On the path unwinding_

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life_

/Camera slowly comes away of Pride Rock, but still focusing on it. Song finishes./

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At that moment, Pumbaa, with Timon on his back, approached Pride Rock. Pumbaa and Timon could only see the top of Pride Rock as the crest of a small hill, but they were already excited.

"Whoo-hoo! There it is! The big pointy rock!" said Timon, while Pumbaa started running on Pride Rock's direction. "Oh, baby, we're almost there!"

Then Pumbaa stopped, as he and Timon saw that Pride Rock is surrounded by hundreds, maybe thousands, of animals.

"I think we're a little late." said Pumbaa, disappointed.

"It's a land rush!" said Timon, shocked. "That loudmouth monkey! He must've blabbed it to the whole world!"

Then Pumbaa remembered of Rafiki, and realized that maybe Timon was also advised by him. At least, that would explain why Rafiki knew where Timon was, and the direction for Pumbaa to go.

"What exactly did he say?" asked Pumbaa.

"Look beyond what you see." said Timon, imitating Rafiki's lotus position and mystical voice.

That line, and Timon's tune, made Pumbaa even surer that Timon met Rafiki.

"So maybe you're supposed to look _beyond_ the big pointy rock."

"So maybe I'm supposed to look beyond the big pointy rock." said Timon, as though he came up with it himself.

"Hmmm?" asked Pumbaa.

"Well, let's have a little look, shall we? Beyond what I see… beyond what I see… beyond what I see…"

Then Timon watched a group of trees surrounding a lake, and a small hill with a cave near the lake. It should have been the paradise told by the monkey!

"Oh ho! What do you know?" said Timon. "The monkey's got an eagle eye for real estate!"

Then Pumbaa watched Rafiki on the point of Pride Rock, holding Simba. He recognized Rafiki.

"Timon, look."

"Hey hey hey, it's the monkey!" said Timon, recognizing Rafiki.

Now Pumbaa knew how Rafiki knew about Timon.

"What is he holding?" asked Pumbaa. "It seems…"

"Aw, who cares? It's not important." said Timon, jumping from Pumbaa's back. "Come on, my dream home awaits."

Timon walked in the direction of the animal gathering, with Pumbaa behind him. The animals rise in front of them like a wall. Then, Pumbaa nervously shrinked back away from the crowd and said: "I don't do so well in crowds. Maybe we better go around."

"Don't you know the shortest distance between me and my dream home is a straight line?" said Timon with an impatient voice.

Timon then lead Pumbaa straight into the breach. They passed between the animals, as the animals watched them angrily. Timon said: "Make room. Make room. Watch it, Twiggy. I'm walkin' here!"

The animals snorted at them, and watched them angrily, as they made their way through the crowd. Suddenly Pumbaa's stomach gurgled fiercely, and he sat down in an "emergency" mode.

"Ahem… Timon… There's something I gotta tell ya." said Pumbaa miserably.

"Pumbaa, Pumbaa, Pumbaa." said Timon, annoyed. "We'll have a lot of time to talk when we get home."

Pumbaa's stomach gurgled even more, and he started to panic. And he said: "I could really use a rest stop."

"Don't worry. You'll get your second wind." said Timon.

"I got a really bad feeling!"

"It'll pass!" said Timon. "Trust me, it'll pass!"

Then Pumbaa released a massive fart. An elephant freaked out and trumpeted. All the animals around them coughed and collapsed, followed by the ones a little further away. Then, one zebra, too far to be affected by the fart, said: "Oh look, the rhinos are bowing!"

"We'd better bow too!" answered other zebra.

The zebras bowed, then the antelopes in front of them bowed, and after that all the animals were bowing. From Mufasa's point of view, that seemed somewhat strange.

"Look sire, how they kneel before the royal son." said Zazu.

"They make this always?" asked Sarabi to Mufasa.

"No, they don't." said Mufasa. "At least, I don't remember Dad saying it to me."

Meanwhile, Pumbaa and Timon are in the epicentre of what seems to be a nuclear blast. Timon has some of his hairs on fire, but it stops, and then Timon says: "So that's your special power, huh? What a weapon!"

"You mean you don't mind?" asked Pumbaa, surprised.

"Ha ha! Are you kidding? It was a gas! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Well, I don't like to toot my own horn." Pumbaa said

"Yeah, that's probably for the best." said Timon.

After a pause, Timon said: "Let's go, Pumbaa!"

"Lead the way!" said Pumbaa.

Timon and Pumbaa walked by the middle of the bowing (and collapsed) animals, and went to their new home.

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Simba's presentation took some minutes more, while Rafiki kept Simba lifted in the air, well seen for all the herds of the Pride Lands.

When the presentation finished, the herds retreated, Rafiki passed Simba to Sarabi, who returned to the cave with Mufasa, and Ahadi and Uru disappeared in the clouds.

Tojo had been seeing everything from the cave, and, being a curious cub, he had questions to make. And he turned to his grandfather. The first one was about the two ghosts seen in the clouds.

"Who were the lion and the lioness?" asked Tojo to Mega.

"Ahadi and Uru." said Mega to Tojo. "They are Mufasa and Scar´s parents, and were king and queen of the Pride Lands before Mufasa and Sarabi."

"Why they were up there?" asked Tojo, curious.

"When we die…" said Mega, looking at the sky. "…we all go up there. Our bodies become grass, and our soul becomes a star."

"So… every star is the soul of a dead animal?" asked Tojo, intrigued.

"Yes, that's right." said Mega, smiling at his grandson's cleverness.

"Which star is grandma's?" asked Tojo, curious.

Mega made a sad expression. Tojo had made a sad question… Mega knew what was Mimea's star, but looking at the star only made him to miss Mimea even more. But Tojo had the right to know.

"I'll tell you tonight what is your grandma's star." said Mega, with a sad expression. "But, before you ask it, no, she won't appear in the clouds. The dead ones appear in the clouds only in very special circunstances. But, if you pay attention, you will listen her speaking to you… and she keeps living inside you, me, and your mother…"

Tojo sat down, but couldn't hear anyone speaking to him… besides his grandfather. He could only feel a soft breeze blowing around him. But… could the breeze be his grandmother's spirit?

"Are you there, grandma?" asked Tojo silently.

The breeze became more intense for some moments, like if the wind was answering: "Yes."

Kula came out of the cave, running excitedly.

"Hey, Tojo, let's play!" said Kula, running to her best friend.

"Count with me!" said Tojo, and soon they both left Pride Rock.

"Be careful, both of you!" shouted Wingu from the cave's entrance. Chumvi was behind her.

Wingu returned to the cave, and Chumvi went to Mega. But Mufasa came to Mega as well.

"Uh… Mega?" asked Mufasa. "Did you see Scar at the presentation of Simba?"

"No…" said Mega, thinking.

Now that he was noticing it, Scar didn't come to the presentation. Or Zira. This made him feel even more worried. If Scar and Zira didn't come to the presentation, that meant they didn't accept Simba as future king.

"Alright." said Mufasa, becoming angry. "I need to talk to my brother. Zazu, find him."

And so, Zazu started flying looking for Scar, and Mufasa followed him.

Meanwhile, Chumvi came to Mega.

"Hello, Mr. Mega." said Chumvi.

"Hi, Chumvi." said Mega.

"May I ask you something?" asked Chumvi, curious. "When was the last time of the presentation of a cub?"

"Well…" said Mega. "It was… when Mufasa was born… no… when Scar was born."

"Oh… thanks a lot." said Chumvi. "Well then, see you later, Mr. Mega."

And so, Chumvi disappeared in the cave of Pride Rock.

Mega, on the other hand, sat down, while thinking. Chumvi remembered him one sad piece of memory. The day of Scar's birth… that had been one of the most troubled parts of his… and Ahadi's… life into the pride.

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It was an extremely rainy day. The clouds were so dark and so together that it seemed almost as dark as if it was night. The thunder brought some occasional light, and it was really impressive. The rain was also extremely heavy.

This day was about a month after Rafiki being proclaimed as the first wiseape of the Pride Lands. An improvement, brought, in a certain extension, by Ahadi's kingship. But Mufasa kept boring with the detail of having no male cubs to play with.

This was temporarially changed, when Mufasa, around a week after the incident with the hyenas, met a male cub, and another female cub, on the other side of the Border River. They seemed almost dead and dehidrated. Mufasa crossed the river, gave them some water, and the cubs recovered, and began playing. The male cub was named Hanja, the female cub was Hanja's best friend, named Imani, and they became good friends with Mufasa. Mufasa told them a little bit about his family, and, for some reason, both seemed interested when they heard that his grandpa was called Mohatu. However, their happiness didn't last for long.

A big lion, with sandy fur, and slightly darker mane, and blue eyes, and a lioness with light-grey fur and blue eyes appeared, and stopped their playing. Mufasa realised from their talking with the cubs that the lion was named Arista, and the lioness was named Malkha, and they were king and queen of a pride that lived in the desert. The rulers thanked Mufasa for taking care of the cubs, and then they took Hanja and Imani without another word. Mufasa knew he would never see them again.

But now, he would have the wish of playing with a little brother granted. A month after the incident with the hyenas, the birth of Uru's second cub began.

Ahadi said that he wanted to stay with Uru during the cub's birth, like he made when Mufasa was born. This once again surprised the pride, because it's rare for a male wanting to stay with his mate during a birth. Males were normally asked to wait outside, and normally they obeyed without questioning. But Ahadi decided to stay with Uru, and Uru liked the idea. It was good for her to feel Ahadi's support.

Mufasa, like all the cubs, had to wait outside. Mega and Mohatu were there, taking care of Mufasa, Sakia, Jani, and the other cubs. It was rather unpleasant to stay there under the heavy rain, but it was even worst to watch the cub's birth.

And, eventhough they could close their eyes, they couldn't close the ears. It was rather obvious by Uru's constant roars of pain that she was suffering a lot with the birth of her second cub.

"Ahadi…" said Uru, with a desperate voice, after making another unsuccessful attempt to push the cub further. "This pain… is…. unimaginable…"

Ahadi had heard pretty simmillar words before. Around three years before, on the day of Hamu's birth… which resulted in Kimya's death… but he couldn't leave Uru die! If Uru died… he wouldn't stand it… most likely he would run to the edge of Pride Rock and jump without a second thought… But then an idea came to his mind.

"Mimea!" roared Ahadi with obvious despair in his voice.

"Yes, sire?" asked Mimea.

She, like all the lionesses of the pride, was supporting Uru, and wasn't surprised by hearing the desperate voice of Ahadi.

"Go outside, and tell Mega to call Rafiki! Hurry!"

Mimea ran outside the cave on the same instant. Ahadi hugged Uru, and said: "Now, Uru, rest a little bit before trying to push again. It will all turn out fine. I promise."

Without answering, Uru only came closer to her mate, with tears in her eyes.

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Soon enough, Rafiki and Mega entered the cave. They were both soaked, and Mega was exhausted. The effort of running from Pride Rock to the Tree of Life at full speed, and return again at full speed, with a monkey on his back, and under the heavy rain, was too hard. Rafiki ran to Uru, holding a strange fruit on his hand.

"Mother!" shouted Mufasa.

Mufasa finally managed to escape to his grandpa, and ran to his mother.

"Mufasa, I told you to wait outside!" said Ahadi.

"No…" replied Uru in a weak voice. "Now he's inside… come to me, my dear…"

Uru hugged Mufasa, and then Rafiki said: "Queen Uru, please, give a bite on this fruit. But before, listen to me. After giving the bite, when I tell you to push, you must push with all the strenght you have. Understand?"

Uru, without breath to speak, only nodded.

"Good." said Rafiki, extending the fruit to Uru.

Uru bit the fruit, Rafiki placed himself behind Uru, and, after some moments, shouted: "PUSH! NOW!"

Uru pushed with all the strenght she had, which was way more than she had expected. The power of the strange fruit rather surprised her, and all the pride. Rafiki grabbed the newborn cub, yet unseen by the pride, and started cleaning him.

"I did it…" said Uru.

Then, she dropped her head, and closed her eyes.

"Uru!" shouted Ahadi, burying his muzzle in Uru's neck.

But he was soon calmed down. Uru was still breathing. Her breathing was regular… yet weak… but she was exhausted. She would soon recover.

"Dad…" said Mufasa, looking to Ahadi with tears in his eyes. "Is mother alright?"

"Yes, Mufasa." said Ahadi. "Don't worry. She is only tired."

Uru gained enough energy to wake up and look at Rafiki shortly after.

"How is the cub?" asked Uru to Rafiki, with a voice that expressed both fear and hope.

"Don't worry." said Rafiki. "He is alright. It's a boy. He nearly died during the birth, but he is alright now."

And then, Rafiki placed the sleeping newborn cub in Uru's paws. Then, he grabbed his stick, bowed, and said: "With your permission, I will come out."

So, Rafiki left the cave. Ahadi watched him until he left, and then looked at the male cub in Uru's paws. And he couldn't believe what he saw…

"No…" said Ahadi, with both hatred and disbelief in his voice. "This can't be… he came back…"

With the words "He came back" Mega, who had always been sitting down at the cave's entrance, ran to Uru, to see the cub. No one stopped him.

And Mega couldn't believe what he saw. The male cub in Uru's paws seemed exactly like a copy of both Hamu and Tarki. This cub was darker than Hamu, but Tarki was darker than this cub. Hamu's eyes weren't as green as the eyes of this cub, but Tarki's eyes were greener than the eyes of the newborn cub. The newborn cub was a perfect combination of Hamu and Tarki. Two cubs who brought extremely bad memories to Ahadi and Mega… well, more to Ahadi than to Mega.

However, Uru was looking at the newborn cub with an expression of motherly love, and Mufasa was looking at the cub with curiosity.

Some time later, Uru turned to Ahadi, and asked: "Ahadi… the cub is a boy… and we made a deal that you would call this cub. What shall be his name?"

Ahadi looked at the cub, with terrible thoughts crossing his mind: "So… you killed my mother… you killed Kimya… and now you also wanted to kill Uru… and you survived… I will kill you…"

Ahadi began lifting his paw to crush the cub like if it was a fly, but then his soft side awoke and he thought: "I… I… I just can't do it… why? After all that he has done to me?"

"So, Ahadi, what will be the name of my new grandson?" asked Mohatu, who came closer shortly before.

Ahadi looked at the cub with pure hatred in his eyes, and then said, with the voice having the same hatred than his look: "Taka. His name will be Taka."

The whole pride was shocked. Ahadi was calling his son "Taka"? He shouldn't know the meaning of the word, or he wouldn't name the cub like that.

"Ahadi…" began to say Laini, a little bit fearful. "You do know what "Taka" means, right?"

"Right." said Ahadi, in the same voice filled with hatred "It means "trash" in the ancient language. And that name suits this cub perfectly. He is nothing more than that: trash."

Then, without another word, Ahadi got up, and left the cave.

"I must talk with him." said Mega, following him.

Meanwhile, Mufasa looked at Taka, and said: "Why? Why is father so mad at you? You've done nothing wrong."

Uru had a sad look in her face. Why the birth of Taka disturbed Ahadi so much? Maybe… it awoke sad memories of his past? She woud ask him one day…

"Well…" kept Mufasa. "Dad didn't welcome you into this life, but I welcome you."

Mufasa hugged his little brother, and said: "Be welcome to our family, Taka."

And both Mufasa and Taka fell asleep in Uru's paws.

"My two little princes." thought Uru, smiling, before falling asleep as well.

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Mega tried to talk to Ahadi, but the talking was up to no good. It was useful only to understand that Ahadi blamed his second son for a crime that he didn't commit. And, in spite of Mega's advices, Ahadi barely listened, or simply didn't care.

Taka's life in the pride was hard.

And it was hard even now, with Taka, now called Scar, living almost apart from the other members of the pride.

"Why?" thought Mega, looking at the savannah, while asking himself where was Scar, and what Mufasa would do when he found him. "Why do you had to blame Taka for a crime that he didn't commit?"

But, unlike Tojo when he asked if his grandma was there, no wind answered to him.

"Well." said Mega. "It doesn't care. What has no solution is solved, like Ajizi used to say. I'll go for a walk."

And so, Mega walked away, trying to forget the distant past.

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_Well... what did you think? From the parts that don't come from the movie, at least. Please, review!_


	10. Chapter 9: The hyena pups

_Hello again. This is chapter 9. Well, to begin with, the name Kisasian is copyrighted to Joshua Templin, and featured on one of the earliest (it may actually be the earliest, but I'm not sure about that) fanfics about The Lion King titled "The Tales of Tanabi". But there are some important differences between his version of that character and my version - probably enough to be considered totally different characters. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 9 – The hyena pups**

Meanwhile, in another part of Pride Rock, a small mouse, the same mouse that Tojo tried to hunt countless times without the lightest sign of success, was just coming out of his hole.

After coming out, he stopped for some moments, looked up, and saw the paw of a lion coming towards him. It wasn't Tojo's paw. It was the paw of an adult lion. The lion, whose name was Scar, lifted the squeaking mouse 'till his eyes, and then said, while playing with him: "Life's not fair, is it? You see, I… I shall never be king… and you…"

The mouse was preparing himself to jump from his paw, and concluded: "shall never see the light of another day! Adieu!"

Scar prepared himself to put the mouse in his mouth, but at the last moment, he heard Zazu's voice interrupting him: "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

"What do you want?" asked Scar, bored, while holding the mouse with his right paw.

He already had a good guess of what would be Zazu's answer, but he had to hear it.

"Well, I'm here to announce that King Mufasa is on his way." said Zazu, bowing. "So, you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning."

"As a matter of fact, I have a good excuse." thought Scar. "I don't consider Simba as future king, so I didn't pay homage to him by going to his presentation."

While Scar was distracted with his thoughts, the mouse ran away, and escaped through a small hole.

"Oh, look Zazu, you made me lose my lunch." said Scar, a little bit bored..

"Hah!" said Zazu. "You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you. He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia."

"Oooh… I quiver with fear…"

At the word "fear" Scar began to crouch down and shows his teeth at Zazu. He thought: "Let's give this hornbill a little scare."

"No Scar…" said Zazu, very concerned… "Don't look at me that way… HELP!"

Zazu tried to fly and escape, but Scar quickly pounced the flying bird and caught him in his mouth, but immediately after he heard Mufasa's voice saying: "SCAR!"

"Mm-hmm?" asked Scar with his mouth full.

"Drop him!" said Mufasa sternly.

"Impeccable timing, your Majesty." said Zazu putting his beak outside Scar's mouth.

Scar spat Zazu out, covered with saliva. Then he turned to Mufasa, thinking: "What do you want now?"

But he only said, sarcastically overjoyed: "Why! If isn't my big brother descending from on high to mingle with the commoners."

"Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba." said Mufasa, going straight to the matter.

"And what were you waiting for? I won't go to the presentation of the one who I don't consider future king."

But he didn't dare to say that.

"It was today?" asked Scar, faking astonishment. "Oh, I feel simply awful."

It was true. Scar was feeling simply awful. The birth of the cub, Simba, had been the last thing that he could stand. Mufasa was always better than him. Mufasa stole him the right to be king, his father's attention, and the girl of his life, Sarabi. Now, the birth of the cub, Simba, was the last thing that he could stand. On that very moment, he promised to himself that this wouldn't stay like this.

Then Scar scrapped his claws in the rock wall. Zazu cringed at the sound.

"It must've slipped my mind." said Scar admiring his claws.

"Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother you should have been first in line!" said Zazu, flying to look Scar in his eyes.

Scar clicked his teeth at Zazu, who hid behind Mufasa's left front paw. Scar lowered his head to look Zazu in the eyes, and said: "Well, I was first in line, until the little hairball was born."

"The little hairball is my son… and your future king!" said Mufasa, lowering his head to look Scar in the eyes.

"Ohh, I shall practise my curtsy." said Scar, turning his back to Mufasa and going away.

"Don't turn your back on me, Scar!" saof Mufasa in a warning tone.

"On, no, Mufasa!" said Scar. "Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me!"

"Indeed, you shouldn't turn your back on me." thought Scar. "If you hadn't turned your back of what I was feeling in the day when I got the scar, and hadn't worried only with you, things would have been different."

But Mufasa took his words completely wrongly. The brown-maned lion roared and jumped in front of his brother, and said, baring his teeth for the first time in the talk: "Is that a challenge?"

"Temper, temper." said Scar. "I wouldn't dream of challenging you."

That was true. As far as he hated to admit, Mufasa was bigger and stronger than him. If Scar tried to challenge him, it would be certain death. Because he wouldn't be weak to the point of asking for mercy.

"Pity!" said Zazu. "Why not?"

"Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share." said Scar, looking at Zazu. Then he looked to Mufasa, and said: "But when it comes to brute strength… I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool."

Then Scar went away calmly, but in his mind, he already made a promise. He will be king.

"Oh, there's one in every family, sire… Two in mine, actually…" said Zazu, perching on Mufasa's shoulder. "And they always manage to ruin special occasions."

"What am I going to do with him?" asked Mufasa, thinking if there is some way to make Scar to become the playful and nice Taka that he was during his cubhood.

In fact, he knew it was his entire fault. If he hadn't been so self-centered on the day when Taka became Scar, his younger brother would still be Taka. Now, his brother was Scar, and there was nothing he could do to change it. He couldn't come back to his decisions.

However, it seemed Zazu didn't understand the true meaning of his question.

"He'd make a very handsome throw rug." said Zazu.

"Zazu!" said Mufasa, smiling a little bit.

"And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you could take him out and beat him!" said Zazu.

Mufasa chuckled, but, a moment later, he got sorry. Unfortunately, Mufasa could take Scar out and beat him without needing to turn him into a throw rug.

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Scar passed the whole day wandering in the savannah, alone. He couldn't hunt because this day was day of sacred peace. If he hunted, he would most certainly be exiled, maybe even killed. So, he could only wander around. Zira offered herself to give him company, but Scar speciffically said that he wanted to be alone.

So, he just walked around during the whole day, without a specific destiny. At the sunset, he returned to Pride Rock, where he got (like he already expected), many looks of disapproval for the fact of he having missed the presentation of Simba. The only ones who seemed to understand him were Sakia and Zira. Besides, Zira also had missed the ceremony, according to what Scar came to know.

Their relationship was not welcome in the pride. When Scar had brought Zira to the pride, a month after he got his scar, almost anyone welcomed her or him. Not even Mufasa. The only ones who welcomed them were his mother, his grandmother, Sakia, and Uzuri. Maybe also Mega... but not even one lion more welcomed them. As they grew up, Zira became Scar's best friend, and Scar retributed her in the same way.

Scar just ignored the disappointed looks of all the pridemembers for who he passed (Leo, Mufasa, Fani, Asmini, Penda and Safura, to be exact), and climbed to the top of Pride Rock.

He looked to the sunset, watching the Pride Lands getting slowly darker. He did that almost everyday. Scar could still remember when he saw the beautiful landscape for the first time. On that time, he was still Taka…

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"Look, Taka." said Mohatu. "Everything the light touches is our kingdom."

"Whow!" said Taka, completely amazed with the Pride Lands seen from the top of Pride Rock.

His life as a cub was good. Three weeks after his birth, he was presented to the herds, like any normal royal heir, eventhough Ahadi extremely disliked the idea. His father hated him, and the poor Taka couldn't understand why, but all the other members of the pride loved him, and Taka loved them. Taka loved his grandfather, his grandmother, his mother, and, mainly, his big brother Mufasa.

Taka and Mufasa always played together. They were the best friends of the world. Ahadi seemed to disapprove the big friendship between the two brothers, but he did nothing to tear it apart. However, he shown the hatred he had for Taka whenever he had an occasion to do it.

No one could really understand the reason why Ahadi hated Taka… except Mega, but Mega also didn't want to tell anything.

Ahadi had already decided that Mufasa would become the king, and so, whenever he wasn't playing with Taka or any of the other cubs of the pride, Ahadi taught him everything that was needed to be a king.

Uru, Laini, and Mohatu tried to tell him countless times that Taka should also be taught, because no one could know what the future would bring, but Ahadi always answered: "No, I won't teach him. If you want him to learn this, teach him you!"

Eventually, Uru and Laini accepted Ahadi's suggestion, and asked Mohatu to teach Taka. Mohatu accepted with pleasure.

And the first part of teaching Taka was to take him to see the Pride Lands from above. Just as he hoped, Taka was amazed with the sight.

"A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun." said Mohatu. "The sun already set on my time here, and it rised with your father, Ahadi, as new king. One day, the sun will also set on Ahadi's time here, and it will rise with Mufasa as the new king."

"So, Muffy is going to rule all of this?" asked Taka.

"Everything." said Mohatu.

But then, Taka noticed something. A shadowy place, close to one of the borders of the Pride Lands. What could that be?

"Grandpa, you said that everything the light touches is our kingdom, right?" asked Taka.

"Right." said Mohatu.

"But what about that shadowy place?" asked Taka, curiously.

"That's beyond our borders." said Mohatu. "You shall never go there."

"But I thought that, as princes, Muffy and I should know about everything that is surrounding our kingdom." said Taka, a little bit disappointed.

"You're just like your mother when she had your age." said Mohatu, smiling. "She also wanted to learn about everything. Come with me."

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"Everything you see exists together, in a delicate balance." said Mohatu later, when they were walking in the open savannah. "And we all need to understand that balance. We must respect all creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

"But grandpa, don't we eat the antelope?" asked Taka, confused.

"Yes, Taka. If you let me explain you'll understand."

"Sorry, grandpa." said Taka. "Keep explaining."

"When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eats the grass. And so, we're all connected in the great Circle of Life." concluded Mohatu slowly.

"Grandpa, I understand all of this, but I can't exactly see what's wrong with that place." said Taka.

"That place is dangerous." said Mohatu. "You can't go there."

"Alright…" said Taka, disappointed.

But then, he cheered up, and said: "Probably Muffy already finished his lessons with dad as well. I'll meet him on Pride Rock, and we'll play. See ya, Grandpa!"

And so, Taka ran to Pride Rock.

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Shortly after, Taka arrived at Pride Rock. There he met Mufasa, Sakia, and Jani, and they were all being bathed. Mufasa by Uru, Sakia by Uzuri, and Jani by Mimea.

"Hey Muffy, hey Jani, hey Sakia." said Taka when he arrived.

"Hey, Taka." said them all, each one at his or her speed.

"So, what's new today?" asked Sakia, while Uzuri bathed her.

"Hey, I just heard of a really cool place." whispered Taka to Sakia. "I invite you all to come with me."

"Well, Taka, like you can see, we really can't go anywhere." said Sakia. "We're all in middle of our bath."

"And it's time for yours." said Laini.

Laini, who seemed to come out of nowhere, easily grabbed Taka by the scruff, laid him on her paws, and started cleaning him.

"Grandma!" said Taka. "That tickles!"

Soon Laini finished cleaning her grandson, Taka jumped out of her paws, and asked to all the cubs: "Well then, which one of you wants to come with me?"

"Not me." said Sakia. "Uzuri will give me a hunting lesson."

Even though Sakia was quite young when Uzuri found her, she was old enough to remember that Uzuri wasn't her mother. However, she adressed the lioness by her name with as much respect as a daughter expressed to her mother.

"Or me." said Jani, climbing out of her mother's paws. "I will hunt my first prey alone today!"

"Really?" asked Mimea. "I can't wait to see it."

"So, Muffy, you're in?" asked Taka.

"Of course!" said Mufasa.

"Hold on a second!" said Uru sternly. "No one is going anywhere, at least without an adult for company. That hyena might be still around here, and who knows if it is only one."

Uru was talking about a hyena that had been seen on the Pride Lands… no… on the cave of Pride Rock, on the previous night. She was trying to steal some food from the last hunt of the pride. Surely a lone hyena couldn't take too much, but Ahadi woke up on the instant, and, after a really short fight, the hyena ran away with the piece of meat.

But Ahadi and Mohatu had decided that they couldn't allow themselves to let their prey unguarded. The same hyena, or more, could come back and take the food. For now, it was just one hyena, but more hyenas could return.

"Mom!" said Taka, disappointed. "It's only one hyena!"

"And Dad almost killed her!" added Mufasa. "She got so scared that she won't return to the Pride Lands even if she lives a hundred years!"

"Alright." said Uru. "Let's see… probably Zuzu already finished her morning round, so I'll call her, and, if she hasn't seen any hyena, you can go to play alone."

"It won't be necessary to call her, Uru." said Uzuri. "She's coming!"

That was right. Zuzu was coming, riding on Ahadi, and a younger and smaller hornbill was with her. Most of the lionesses and cubs smiled when they saw the king approaching, but Taka hid behind his mother.

"You don't need to hide!" growled Ahadi, in an angry voice. "I'm not going to eat you!"

But he said it with a voice that wasn't exactly showing that he meant it.

"Dad, why you are so angry at Taka?" asked Mufasa. "He did nothing wrong!"

"He did!" growled Ahadi again. "HE WAS BORN!"

"Here we go again…" thought Laini.

It was always like that. Always that Ahadi saw Taka, it was the same talking of Ahadi's hatred for his second son, a hatred with an unknown origin… unknown, except to Ahadi, and maybe also to Mega.

"Dad, what is the problem of Taka having been born?" asked Mufasa. "You were so enthusiasmed when mom was pregnant with him! But now you're angry at him. Why?"

"YOU'RE A CUB!" said Ahadi. "You're too young to understand."

"I'm not a cub, and I also don't understand!" said Uru to Ahadi in an angry voice.

"You stay out of this!" said Ahadi, baring his teeth to Uru.

"We're talking about our son! I don't stay out of this!" said Uru, also baring her teeth..

"But he almost killed you!" whispered Ahadi, so that only Uru could hear him.

"Those things happen…" whispered Uru back to Ahadi.

"Then why they had to happen with my mother, with Kimya, and with you?" thought Ahadi.

"What is going on here?" asked Mega, who was just coming.

"Dad, king Ahadi is angry at Taka… again." whispered Jani to her father's ear.

So, Mega turned to Ahadi, and said calmly: "Ahadi, come with me."

"I'm the one who gives orders around here!" said Ahadi, furious. "I'm the king!"

"I'm asking, not ordering." said Mega, in a calm voice.

Mega and Uru were the only members of the pride who could control Ahadi. Ahadi calmed down, and went to Mega. Zuzu and the little hornbill flew from Ahadi's shoulder to Uru's shoulder, while Ahadi and Mega went away.

"Is he gone?" asked the scared Taka.

"Yes, Taka, Dad is gone." said Mufasa, sad at his father's attitude.

"Oh, Muffy, why does he hate me? Why everyone hates me?" asked Taka, bursting in tears.

"No one hates you." said Mufasa, in a sad voice.

He wanted to say "Not even dad", because he was sure that Ahadi couldn't just hate his son, but Ahadi really seemed to hate him.

Mufasa hugged his little brother, trying to calm him down, but Taka kept crying, while he had a sad stare. No one seemed to have a good idea to cheer him up, but then, Mufasa made a big smile, and said to his brother, in a rather provoking tone: "Taka… I remembered a song…"

"Not now." said Taka, with sad voice.

"Come on…" said Mufasa, trying to cheer him up. "I bet you already know it! Please, Taka, don't make me to sing it alone."

/"It's a small world after all" song. The tone, melody and the lyrics are copyright to Disney.

The music begins. Mufasa hugs Taka friendly.

Mufasa: "Come on, Taka, sing with me! I'm sure you know this song!"

Taka (he seems to be getting happier, but not as much). "Oh… not really, Muffy. I…"

Mufasa: "Oh, Taka…Come on, sing with me. This song won't be cool if you don't sing with me."

Taka still seems depressed, but Mufasa begins singing. Camera focuses on the singing Mufasa, but still allows to see Taka behind him./

Mufasa:

_It's a world of laughter_

_A world of tears _

_It's a world of hopes, _

_It's a world of fears_

_There's so much that we share_

_That it's time we're aware_

_It's a small world after all_

/Camera changes it's position, in a way that we see Taka still a little bit depressed, but he seems happier. We can also see still Mufasa from behind./

Chorus: Mufasa

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small, small, world_

/Camera changes to Taka, with a happier expression, joining to Mufasa. Mufasa, seeing this, pats his brother's head friendly. In the background is Uru, smiling warmly at both her cubs./

Mufasa and Taka:

_There is just one moon _

_And one golden sun_

_And a smile means _

_Friendship to everyone_

_Though the moutains divide_

_And the oceans are wide_

_It's a small world after all_

/Camera temporarially changes to the small hornbill. Then, he flies to Taka and Mufasa, and joins the singing. We can see Uru and Laini watching this in the background./

Chorus: Mufasa, Taka, and the little hornbill

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small world after all_

_It's a small, small, world_

/Laini also joins the singing. Camera focuses on the two lionesses, but we see Taka sitting between Uru's paws, and Mufasa sitting between Laini's paws./

Mufasa, Taka, Uru, and Laini:

_It's a world of laughter_

_A world of tears _

_It's a world of hopes, _

_And a world of fears_

_There's so much that we share_

_That it's time we're aware_

_It's a small world,_

_A small world after all!_

/Song finishes. The two brothers hug each other friendly, while their mother and grandmother smile./

"Thanks for cheering me up, Mufasa." said Taka, smiling.

"That's what big brothers are for!" replied Mufasa, patting his brother's head friendly. "Now, I think we can go play… after hearing if Zuzu has seen any hyenas or not."

Uru asked to Zuzu: "Zuzu, have you seen any hyenas in your morning round?"

"No, ma'am." said Zuzu. "I've made a special round, with some help, and we didn't see any hyenas."

For the first time, Taka noticed the younger hornbill.

"Who is he, Zuzu?" asked Taka.

"This is my son, Zazu." said Zuzu.

Zazu bowed to Mufasa and Taka, and then to Uru.

"I'm teaching him out to be the king's majordomo." said Zuzu.

"Isn't he a little bit young?" asked Uru.

"Maybe so, but he said that he wanted to learn as soon as possible."

"Let's see…" said Zazu, clearing his throat. "His majesty, King Ahadi of Pride Rock, ruler of the Pride Lands… no, it's no good… HIS MAJESTY, KING AHADI OF PRIDE ROCK, RULER OF THE PRIDE LANDS… no, it's even worst, HIS MAJESTY, KING AHADI… AAAAGHHH!"

Taka had just pounced Zazu. Zazu got up, and said: "Now I'm all dirty... you little pest… AGGGGHHH!"

Mufasa also had pounced Zazu. Zazu got up again, and cleaned himself.

"Nice pounce, Muffy." said Taka.

"Yours wasn't bad as well." said Mufasa.

"Mom… a little help, please?" begged Zazu.

"It's another part of being the king's majordomo." said Zuzu, chuckling. "We befriend the lions… and let their cubs practice pouncing on us!"

"Like that!" said Sakia, pouncing on Zuzu.

Zuzu soon got up, but she was pounced by Jani.

"See, mom?" asked Jani. "I told you I would hunt my first prey today!

"Well done." said Mimea with approval in her voice.

Jani never managed to pounce on Zuzu before. She was too noisy and Zuzu noticed her.

Leaving Sakia and Jani to practice pouncing on Zuzu and Zazu, Taka and Mufasa ran to Uru, and asked: "Now, mom, can we go to play?"

"Yes." said Uru. "But don't go far! And be home before sunset!"

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"Taka, don't you think we're going a little bit far?" asked Mufasa. "Mom said for we not to go far."

"Well, now that we are far, I want to ask you this." said Taka in a misterious voice. "Did dad show you one shadowy place close to the border when he took you to the top of Pride Rock?"

"Yes…" said Mufasa, indifferent. "And he told me to never go there."

"And you… ever thought about going there?"

"No, I never…" began to say Mufasa, but then he realized.

Taka wanted to go with him to the shadowy place. Mufasa didn't yet know why, but Taka should be mad. It was too dangerous to go to such a place.

"Taka, it's too dangerous!" said Mufasa. "You heard what grandpa said."

"But, Muffy, if you will be king, shouldn't you learn about what is surrounding your future kingdom?"

"I should learn about what it's inside my kingdom." said Muffy. "What is outside my kingdom doesn't care."

"Then I'll go alone." said Taka, bored. "If you don't want to come, I'll go alone."

"Fine!" said Mufasa.

"Fine?" thought Mufasa a second later when he saw his little brother going away. "You must take care of him. He is your brother."

"But he is crazy!" shouted another voice "And if you disobey your father's order, he may punish you and forbid you of being king!"

"And so what?" thought the first voice again. "If Taka dies, surely you won't be king as well, because you allowed him to die! Besides, don't be selfish. Our brother's safety is what it cares, not kingship!"

All this thoughts ran in Mufasa's mind just during some seconds. Then, he ran to his brother.

"Taka, wait!" shouted Mufasa. "I'm coming with you!"

And so, Taka and Mufasa went together to the shadowy place.

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"It's kind of scary." said Taka, some time later, when they already were in the shadowy place.

The place quite surprised them. First they arrived to a zone with geysers and fumaroles, and the water inside the geysers looked green… maybe even poisonous. Occasionally the geysers launched steam with an extremely loud noise, and the cubs jumped with the scare, but soon the steam explosions became so frequent that they stopped being worried.

Then, they arrived to a sinister place, filled with skeletons… huge skeletons, so big that they should have been from elephants, or from hippopotamuses. They climbed a cliff covered in bones, to have a better view of that misterious place.

"It looks like a Graveyard." whispered Taka to Mufasa.

"It's the Elephant Graveyard." whispered Mufasa back. "I once heard mom talking with Miss Mimea about this place."

"If it is a Graveyard, then it must be a sacred place." said Taka. "Probably that's why we can't come here. Because it is a sacred place."

"Wait!" said Mufasa. "Can't you hear anything?"

Taka used his ears as hard as he could, looking for any sound… and in fact, Mufasa was true. He could hear something. Voices. Or, better to say, a single voice, coming from the other side of a bone pile.

"Let's see who is there." said Taka, curious.

"Taka!" said Mufasa. "Curiosity killed the cat. And we're cats. Quite big ones, but cats."

"Let's just see." said Taka. "Then we can go away."

Taka ended up convincing his big brother to go with him. They looked to the other side of the bone pile, and saw… a hyena! Better to say, the same hyena that had been seen in the previous night trying to steal food from the pride's cave. She still had the wounds made by Ahadi, and eventhough Taka and Mufasa weren't experienced in those things, they could see that they were seriously infected.

The hyena seemed to be speaking for no one…. no… she was singing! Singing… a lullaby… to three pups (probably her own pups)… and, eventhough they looked quite horrible in Taka's and Mufasa's eyes, they should seem absolutely adorable in the female hyena's eyes.

"Now that you have seen this, can we go away?" asked Mufasa, quite scared.

"Muffy, we should go talk with her." said Taka. "She seems to have some problem. Probably we should ask help to mom."

"No, please!" said an unknown voice. "They'll kill me if they know that I'm here!"

Taka and Mufasa turned around, and they saw that the hyena was right in front of them. They should have been speaking too loudly.

Mufasa recognized the hyena… it was the same who tried to ask for help to his father's pride… but ended up almost killed…

"What was her name exactly?" thought Mufasa. "Shenzi… no… Sharia! That is. These are her cubs. Probably the father is that Hivyo guy that dad killed."

"Please, don't tell to your pride that I am here!" begged the hyena again. "They will kill my babies!"

"If I were you, miss, I would be more worried about you." said Taka. "Sorry, but I don't think you'll last for long. You have a quite serious infection, and you also have lost too much blood."

"I know that!" snarled the hyena to Taka.

"Hey, don't touch my brother, or you'll have to fight me!" said Mufasa, jumping between the hyena and Taka.

"Calm down, Muffy." said Taka.

"My babies!" cried the hyena, with some tears running down her cheeks. "They won't survive."

It was the cruel truth. The triplets wouldn't survive. They were too young. Taka and Mufasa couldn't help but cry as well as they saw the sad fate that awaited the young pups. And nothing could be done to avoid that.

"Or could?" thought Taka. "We could try to feed the hyena pups. I, most likely. It's better if Mufasa doesn't, if he wants to be king he can't cooperate with hyenas.

"But hyenas are trashes of the Circle of Life!" shouted a voice inside Taka's head. "They're nothing more than that. Trash."

"Exactly the same thing that you are." shouted the first voice back. "Why do you think that your name is Taka? You can't just leave them to die."

"Uh… miss… what's your name?" asked Taka.

"Sharia." said Mufasa.

"I'm surprised to see that you still remember me, Mufasa." said Sharia.

"You know her?" asked Taka, intrigued.

"It's a long story, Taka." said Mufasa avoiding that talking theme.

"What are the names of the triplets?" asked Taka.

"The girl is Shenzi… the big boy is Banzai… the one with two round cuts in each ear and a merry smile is Ed." answered the female hyena. "But why?"

She couldn't really understand why the cub wanted to know the names of her pups.

"I…" said Taka, a little bit fearful. "I… will take care of your pups in the best way that I can."

"You what?" asked Sharia and Mufasa at the same time.

"You're crazy, Taka!" said Mufasa. "You're a cub! You can't take care of them. You don't know how to hunt!"

"But it's not fair to let them die!" said Taka to Mufasa.

"Thank you…" said Sharia, hugging Taka while crying, but this time crying tears of joy.

Shortly after, she released Taka. She lifted her head for some seconds, and then she spoke, in an even weaker voice.

"Take me to that cave." whispered Sharia, pointing on a cavern in slope of valley.

"Why?" asked Mufasa, slightly confused.

"I don't want my children to see me dying here." replied the hyena, in a slightly weaker voice. "Maybe don't even tell them about it. Tell them… that I had to on a long journey. To meet their father."

"Who is the father?" asked a curious Taka. "We could take them to him."

"His name is Hivyo." answered Sharia, before coughing blood. "He is dead as well."

"Oh… I'm sorry…" said Taka.

But he realised that, in a way, they wouldn't be lying to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Mufasa, however, didn't seem to want to do that favour to the hyena.

"I think it's useless." snorted the older brother.

"Come on, Muffy." whispered Taka. "That's not a big effort, and we can do it for her."

"Oh… alright." said Mufasa.

So, Mufasa and Taka went down the cliff, with Sharia in the middle of them, guiding the wounded hyena in cave's direction. But they never got there. In middle of the walk, Sharia tripped and fell down. Taka tried to lift her up, without much success, and then realized she was already dead.

"Great." said Mufasa, seemingly without feel any pity for the hyena. "It's the end of our service as a public transport."

"At least we're closer to the place where we could bury her." replied Taka, a little bit shocked with the heartless tone of his brother.

"Oh… alright." said Mufasa. "Let's use some bones to cover her. It's the best we can do. No one of us has enough strenght to drag her uphill to that cave."

And so, Taka and Mufasa used some bones to cover the dead hyena. In the end, when Sharia was already covered with bones, they were panting and covered in dust.

"Let's get out of here." said Mufasa.

"Yes." said Taka. "You will go home, I have to get food for them."

Taka pointed to the cliff where the three pups were.

"Well…" said Mufasa slowly. "Good luck, Taka."

And so, Mufasa left the Elephant Graveyard. Taka watched his brother leaving.

"I'll need it." thought Taka, before following Mufasa.

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Taka came back to the Elephant Graveyard, around an hour later, dragging a baby antelope hunted by himself. He never thought to have so much luck by finding an antelope, but luck wouldn't come twice surely. Probably, on the next day, he would have to think about another thing to feed the hyena pups.

But this problem would come on the next day. Now, he would only have to feed the three hyenas for one day.

He entered the cave, dragged the antelope, and stopped to rest. With the sound of his breathing, Shenzi woke up. She got surprised by see Taka and the antelope, and no sign of her mother.

"Wake up." said Shenzi to her brothers. "There's a lion cub here, with an antelope, and our mother is gone."

"Your mother… went away." said Taka. He would tell the pups what Sharia had asked him to tell, but he would have to do it in a slow way.

"Where?" asked Shenzi.

"The antelope… is for you." said Taka, trying to take the talking to another theme. "But leave me some."

"But where went our mother?" asked Banzai, chewing the antelope.

"On a long journey." said Taka. "On a dangerous one."

"She said the same about dad!" said Banzai. Shenzi imitated him. Ed, however, simply laughed, like if he was satisfied with Taka's explanation.

"She went to meet up with him." said Taka. "And she asked me to care take of you."

"Why you?" asked Shenzi. "You're hyena, not lion, and you're still a cub, like us."

"I'll manage to do it." said Taka.

"What's your name?" asked Banzai.

"Taka." said Taka.

"That means "trash", right?" asked Shenzi.

"Right." said Taka. He was already used to the shocked reaction of him having such a name, when he introduced himself.

"But why they call you that?" asked Banzai. "You're good. I mean, I bet no other lion would take care of hyenas."

"I promised to your mother that I would hunt for you until you were old enough to do it for your own." said Taka. "And now I'll do it."

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"I kept my promise." thought Scar, looking at the Pride Lands. "But now I wonder if I shouldn't have done it. Maybe so I would still be Taka."

Scar got up, and looked at the Pride Lands. So many things happened since the day when Scar watched those lands from above for the first time… and the only good thing he could recall was meeting Zira… a cub kicked out of her pride, at least according to her version.

"One day… when I'm king, I'll make her my queen, and then maybe I can ask her normally what exactly happened."

"Scar!" said one well-known voice.

Scar turned around, and saw Zira coming to him. And she seemed extremely happy. Scar couldn't help but smile at her.

"Why you are so happy?" asked Scar.

"You'll soon get to know!" replied Zira, even happier. "I… wasn't feeling well lately…"

Scar knew that. During the last week, Zira was always waking up indisposed. Scar was getting worried, but now it seemed it would be for a good cause. Could it be? Well, he would have to wait for Zira's words.

"So, I went to the crazy mandrill Rafiki, and he said that I'm pregnant! With your cub!"

"That's wonderful!" said Scar, hugging Zira.

Zira also hugged him.

"Now…" said Zira when Scar released her. "I want you to choose the name for the cub. A boy name, if it is a boy. I'm almost sure that will be a boy, so choose the name."

Scar thought for some seconds, and then said: "Kisasian. If it's a boy, his name will be Kisasian."

"Scar…" asked Zira, a little bit fearful. "You know that "Kisasian" comes from the word "revenge" in ancient language, right?"

"Right." said Scar, and his expression became more serious. "I name him that, because soon I will have my revenge…"

"I see…" said Zira. "Well, I'm on your side."

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During all that time, not too far from Pride Rock, on a small oasis, that had some trees, and a small cave. Timon and Pumbaa had settled, thinking that the oasis was the magic place "Hakuna Matata". Pumbaa made the beds, while Timon prepared the drinks. On that night, on Timon's new house, Pumbaa came out of the cave, where he made the beds, and Timon said, in a happy voice: "This is it, buddy-boy. Home sweet home! And I don't gotta share it with anybody!"

"Don't you get to feel, you know, lonely out here?" asked Pumbaa, thinking that is strange for someone not to want any company.

"Lonely? Try commitment free."

Then Timon tied up a hammock and lied down. "The elbow-to-elbow life reminds me a little too much of home. This place has everything. Cool refreshments…" Pumbaa handed him a massive bowl of slush. "…cosy little hammock, a lovely water feature – and it's all mine!"

Pumbaa realized that he's not being factored in Timon's list, but tried to handle it bravely. After all, he was brave enough to face two lions, he could also face the disapproval of a meerkat.

He said: "Well… it's really coming together, Timon, so, uh, so I guess I'll just be going."

Then Pumbaa walked off slowly. Timon lifted his head, and, in that moment, realized that he already thought of Pumbaa as being somewhat important to his life. After all, Pumbaa was the first creature to accept him how he was, without questioning him.

The meerkat said: "Wait a minute, now wait-wa-wait. There's no law that says you have to go. I mean, if you want…"

Pumbaa zipped back immediately. Finally, someone wanted his company! Pumba said, in a happy voice: "Ooh, great! I already make up two beds!"

The two walked inside the cave. Then Pumbaa showed two beds made of grass, one being much bigger than the other.

"One for you, and one for me." said Pumbaa.

Timon yawned luxuriantly, and then said:

"Ohh! Gee, this all construction work has me bushed. Think I'll turn in early."

Timon crawled over the smaller, Timon-sized bed, and made himself comfortable in the larger, Pumbaa-sized bed.

Pumbaa thought it was somewhat strange for a meerkat to want such a big bed, but he would pay that small price for having a friend. He circled around the small bed twice, and then he somehow managed to stuff himself into the small bed. One of his legs popped out sideways, but he got comfortable anyway. Then he said:

"Aaah… Good night!"

"Sleep tight." said Timon.

"Dream of bedbugs tonight!" said Pumbaa.

And so, Timon and Pumbaa already had their temporary new home, and each one had… not yet a friend, but at least someone to talk with.

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On that night, it began raining with a moderate intensity. The rain wasn't too heavy, but was quite heavy in the same, and some thunder was Most of the night animals tried to look for a shelter, while others had to keep their night-routine.

But, on the Tree of Life, someone was also busy. Rafiki, the wiseape, was making paintings on one of the branches of his tree. Since the day when he had settled in the Pride Lands, he chose that tree to stay, because it was believed by the pride to bee a sacred tree, which was there since extremely ancient times. And, to a sacred ape, a sacred tree!

And, one of the things that Rafiki made in his tree was paintings. Not ordinary paintings, made just for fun, but paintings of divination, that were made to guess the future of the kingdom… well, they couldn't guess the next years, but, since Rafiki became wiseape, it was anyway a ritual to paint the royal heirs. And today, Simba was being painted.

"Just a little bit more here…" muttered Rafiki while perfecting the painting. "And it will be over…"

Then, he put his thumb into another ink, and, putting a ceremonial crown on the head of the lion painting, he said happily: "Simba!"

Right after, he turned to another painting, and, using the same ink of the ceremonial crown, he made a circle around another painting. That painting was of the head of a warthog and a head of a meerkat above it, like if the painting was seeing the meerkat riding on the warthog, and only the meerkat's head could be seen above the warthog's head.

"Timon and Pumbaa." said Rafiki happily. "The un-inseparable duo."

After that, Rafiki finally went to sleep.

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_Well... what did you think? I'm sorry that most of it is from the movie... but that will change in time, believe me. Now, please, review!_


	11. Chapter 10: Orphaned babies

_Well, here we go again. Sorry for the absence, but now here comes chapter 10. The baby birds are copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "Tojo's Birds". Kilia (female) is copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use her. Tanin (male) is the crocodile from a Lion-King book titled "The Brightest Star" but I gave him a more detailed description and a name. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 10 – Orphaned babies**

As time passed, Simba and Nala kept growing up as strong and healthy cubs. As soon as they could run, they ran around all the cave, exploring everything that they could, and it wasn't for long 'till the cave became too small for the young cubs' walkings and playing.

When they were two months old, they finally left the cave for the first time. Simba and Nala, like it was expected, grew up as the best friends, and they always played together. Sometimes, they also played with the other cubs, especially Tojo, Chumvi, and Kula.

Because Tojo and Kula kept close to Simba and Nala since they were very young, Tojo was Simba's best friend, after Nala, and Kula was Nala's best friend, after Simba. Sometimes they also played with the other cubs, like Hiari, Koza, Kianga, Tama, Tibuka, and Chafua. Nala in particular became a little bit fond of sometimes playing in the mud with Tibuka and Chafua, but normally when she did that Safura, Sarafina and Moyo ended up angry with her, so she avoided doing it.

Even being a prince, Simba had a life as normal as the life of any lion cub, because it were still missing five months for the lessons to be king to start. Normally, the lessons would start with Simba being four or six months old, but Mufasa decided to wait some more time.

In the cub's theme, one thing that quite amazed the pride was Zira's pregnancy. They kept it a secret during most of time, but, after two months of pregnancy, Zira's belly was quite big. Because Zira was a thin lioness, the pregnancy was obvious early.

No one on the pride got happy for Zira and Scar, except Uzuri, Sakia, and Mega. Uzuri because she felt almost like mother of Zira, Sakia because she was friend of both Zira and Scar, and Mega… well, he was simply happy for them.

Another pregnancy that was discovered, and that one started when Simba and Nala was around one month old, was Sarafina's second pregnancy. That one was… quite a mistake, because Sarafina and Moyo were confident that no more cubs would come for a while, but now they had come… and Sarafina and Moyo were quite ready for that.

No one of the cubs really cared too much about Zira and Scar, since they kept quite solitary habits. Or even about Sarafina, because they weren't old enough to be interested about that, except Nala was interested in having a little brother or sister. If someone of the cubs was curious about the pregnancy thing, it was Tojo. He was also quite happy for Zira and Scar, and he also had many questions, like it was usual in him. One of them, which he made to his grandfather, was "How the cubs went inside Miss Zira and Miss Sarafina?"

Mega simply answered: "You'll know when you're older."

Tojo got satisfied enough with that answer.

But one thing that Tojo was never satisfied enough was with his curiosity. One day, he was wandering in the Pride Lands alone, because Kula and Chumvi were playing with Simba and Nala, and all the other cubs were having hunting lessons.

"What is in the Outlands?" asked Tojo to himself. "I wonder if I can find out."

Both his mother and grandfather forbid him energically to go to the Outlands, but Tojo, as a curious cub, simply didn't care.

"When I've returned, I'll know one thing more about this world." thought Tojo, while going to the Outlands. "And besides, when I return, they'll think I'm a hero!"

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"Well, I still can't see what's that special in the Outlands." said Tojo, one hour later, when he was walking on the irregular ground on the Outlands, climbing to a cliff to have a better view of the place.

Journey to the Outlands had been quite easy, first only walking in the savannah, then walking on a log over a river filled with crocodiles… then walking in the barren soil of the Outlands.

In an hour of walking, Tojo barely saw any life signal, so, he decided to climb the highest cliff that he found, to have a general view over the Outlands, and then he would return home. Besides, the Outlands rather scared him. The whole place was silent, too silent, and, at the same time, it seemed as if something would jump on him when he wasn't expecting.

Tojo was almost arriving to the top of the cliff, when he heard a cubbish cry, and a female voice shouting:

"No way, Banzai. We found the dead lioness, we must share it with the clan. They also deserve to eat."

"And why they have to get results out of our effort?" asked the male voice back.

The cubbish cry continued.

"Oh, shut up!" shouted Banzai.

Tojo went to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. And he saw something that scared him.

At the base of the cliff, some twenty meters below him, was a dead lioness, with grey fur, and a female cub of the same colour that seemed a little younger than Nala was at the lioness's side (probably the lioness was the cub's mother), and three hyenas, two males and a female, were around them. The lioness seemed half covered in stones and dust. And, even as not too experienced, Tojo could guess what happened.

The lioness should have tried to climb to the top of the cliff, and somewhere during the way she placed her paw on some crack or on some less solid part of the cliff, and she slipped and fell. The cliff was high enough for a fall to cause instant death. Now, the cub was orphaned, but it seemed that wouldn't be for much longer, because the hyenas would surely kill her. Unless Tojo thought of a plan. The hyenas hadn't yet seen him or smelled him, so he had the surprise element on his side. He only hoped that the cub would think fast.

"Let's do this." thought Tojo. "It's all or nothing."

So, Tojo, carefully hiding, went to the hyenas and the cub. Meanwhile, the cub was still crying.

"Oh, shut up!" said Shenzi.

She and Ed were trying to convince Banzai to share the meat of the lioness with the other members of the clan, but Banzai, always hungry, wasn't agreeing. And the cries of the cub were only making hyenas more nervous.

"Shut up, or I'll eat you!" shouted Shenzi.

"Hey, that's not fair." said Banzai, mad at Shenzi. "I smelled her first, I will eat her!"

Ed laughed insanely.

"No way, Ed!" said Banzai. "You didn't smell the cub first. I did!"

"NO!" said Shenzi. "I did!"

Ed laughed again.

"Ed is right!" shouted a cubbish voice. "He smelled her first!"

The hyenas looked to where the voice came, and even the cub temporarially stopped crying to look at the voice. Then, Tojo, who had been hiding, ran out of his hideout, and, colliding with the cub to call her to the reality, shouted: "RUN!"

For some reason, the cub returned to reality, and started running after Tojo. Meanwhile, Ed was laughing, this time from satisfaction.

"You didn't sniff the cub first!" said Banzai. "I did!"

"Oh, shut up!" said Shenzi. "They will escape! Get them!"

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Tojo and the cub were running with all their speed to the river, completely terrified. Tojo didn't have a plan to escape the hyenas, he just hoped that, when they got to the river, the crocodiles would get distracted trying to get the hyenas to notice them.

"Keep running!" shouted Tojo to the cub. "Don't stop!"

They were reaching the river, but they were also getting tired. They wouldn't have enough energy to cross the river swimming, and, even if they did, the crocodiles would surely catch them.

Besides, Tojo found out that, in the hurry of the crazy run, he didn't care about running on the direction of the natural bridge between both banks of the river. The only thing left was to… wait for a miracle.

And the miracle in fact came. For some unknown reason, they were running, not exactly to the tree trunk, but quite close to it. They would have only to make a small turn around. Tojo was being the guide, since the cub knew nothing about the way.

But, suddenly, Tojo slipped, and went rolling to the riverbank. The cub stopped her run to follow him. Tojo was lying on the ground, unable to get up.

"Get up!" said the cub, in panic, touching him hardly. "Get up!"

However, Tojo only shouted from pain. His right back paw was sprained. He wouldn't be able to run… and the hyenas were coming close…

The hyenas were running to them with a triumphant look… already opening their mouths, in antecipation to eat the cubs…

"I'm lost!" thought the cub, terrified.

But she tried to be brave, and went into a defensive position. She tried to roar, to scare the hyenas, but to no avail.

"Just that?" asked Shenzi. "Can't you do anything better?"

The cub roared again, but then something strange happened. The water behind them exploded, and, all of a sudden, a huge crocodile came out, with his huge jaws completely open. The hyenas shouted, terrified, and then ran away, tripping many times along the way, partly from scare, but also from the cracks on the ground.

Meanwhile, both Tojo and the cub were soaked. The cub turned to the crocodile, who was almost completely inside the water, but the part that he had outside was big enough for the cub to understand the size of the reptile. That crocodile should be some seven meters long, and shoud weigh more than a ton. It would swallow both cubs without a problem.

The cub turned to run away, but then she remembered the male cub who had saved her. She couldn't leave him to die.

Then, she turned around, and ran to the crocodile, biting his snout.

"Ouch!" said the crocodile. "Beware! I'm not as thick skinned in the snout."

"Get out!" said the cub. "Don't eat him!"

At that moment, Tojo finally got up, even with his sprained paw. The cub supported him. Tojo looked to the crocodile.

"Hello, Tanin." said Tojo, happy by seeing the crocodile.

"You know him?" asked the female cub, so surprised that she almost allowed Tojo to fall on the ground.

"Yes." said Tojo. "I sometimes talk with him. He is a friend of my pride since the reign of King Mohatu, the grandfather of the actual king, Mufasa… by the way, what's your name?"

"Kilia…" answered the cub, and then she started crying again.

Tojo hugged her, and said, trying to calm her down: "I'm sorry for your mother. I can't bring her back, but I can take you to my pride."

"And… will they… accept me?" asked Kilia between sobs.

"I don't know." replied Tojo.

In fact, he wasn't sure that the pride would accept Kilia. But she had nothing to lose. And, after hearing her story, maybe they would accept her.

"Now… how will we cross?" asked Tojo. "I can't walk on the trunk only with three paws."

"I will take you on my back." said Tanin. "Do you think you can climb?"

Tojo tried to climb to the back of the crocodile, who lied down to ease the cub's task, but Tojo just couldn't climb only with three paws. Until he tried to climb by the crocodile's head. It was a sensitive area, and Tanin felt disturbed when Tojo grabbed his nose with his lion claws, but when Tojo got to his back, he felt relieved. Kilia jumped to Tanin's back easily, and then the crocodile crossed the river with the two cubs.

When he got to the other side, Tojo rolled down the reptile's back, and, with Kilia's support, began limping to Pride Rock.

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"I wonder what happened to Tojo?" asked Jani aloud, walking in circles around the cave, extremely worried.

"Calm down, Jani." said Mega, trying to confort his daughter. "I'm sure Tojo is alright."

"And I can see him." said Scar, in a casual voice, while he passed by with Zira. "He's coming here… he seems to be limping, and supported by some strange cub."

Jani looked around, and saw that Scar was right. Her son was limping to Pride Rock, supported by an unknown female cub. The lioness immediately ran to her son, and started licking him all over, but she stopped when she heard Tojo's cry of pain.

"What happened, son?" asked Jani, noticing the sprained leg of her son, and trying to lick his leg.

But then Kilia said:

"You shouldn't mess up an injury. My mom always told that could only make it worse."

"Who are you to tell me how to take care of my son?" growled Jani to the cub.

Kilia, who was already quite scared and nervous of meeting a strange pride, and if they would accept her, got even more scared, and even more tears came out of her green eyes.

Jani, on the next moment, felt sorry for having growled to a strange cub, and hugged her, speaking calmly, trying to make her stop her cry. Kilia stopped, and then Jani said:

"Now, we will return to Pride Rock. Then, you will tell me what exactly happened."

So, Jani picked Tojo by the scruff, Kilia went walking at Jani's side, and then they walked to Pride Rock. Simba, Nala, Kula, and Chumvi were also returning from their playing. They saw Tojo being carried by Jani, with Kilia at the lioness's side, and went to them.

"Hi, Tojo." said Simba.

"Hello, Simba…" whispered Tojo.

"What happened to you?" asked Nala.

"Who are you?" asked Kula to Kilia, in a slightly aggressive voice.

Kula didn't like the way how the unknown cub was looking at Tojo… at her Tojo! She was looking at him with admire, almost like she had fallen in love with him. Not as long as Kula would have a word to say! She wouldn't leave someone to stand between her and Tojo.

Kilia turned around, and, looking at Kula, replied calmly: "Didn't you care more about your friend? He is hurt, and you worry more about me?"

"This is no time for discussions." said Simba. "Tojo is hurt. And you… what's your name, by the way?"

"Kilia." replied Kilia.

"Nice to meet you." said Simba. "I'm Simba, prince of the Pride Lands."

"I'm Nala."

"I'm Chumvi."

"I'm Kula."

But, from all of them, Kula spoke in a quite aggressive voice. It seemed that things wouldn't be easy for Kilia.

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In the end, Kilia ended being accepted in the pride. The pride had a meeting, where Tojo told them that he went to the Outlands, where he had found Kilia and her dead mother, and how he rescued her from the hyenas, and how Tanin rescued him and Kilia. Mufasa decided that he would accept Kilia into the pride, and the female cub ended being adopted by Uzuri, just like Sakia and Zira.

Fani and Asmini tried to ask to Uzuri why she never wanted to have any cub, instead of adopting various cubs, but she replied that it was her secret. No one could understand, but they allowed Uzuri to adopt Kilia, if the cub agreed. Kilia agreed, because Uzuri seemed really nice to her.

Tojo wasn't punished by going to the Outlands. Jani had decided that his sprained leg would be enough punishment, because he wouldn't be able to move.

Ironically enough, on the day after Tojo having saved Kilia, Mufasa decided to give all the cubs from the pride a small lesson about the Great Spirit. He told the cubs that the Great Spirit ruled the lion's, and everybody's, lives with wisdom, even when someone doubted him. When Mufasa said that, Tojo lifted his front right paw.

"Yes, Tojo?" asked Mufasa.

"If the Great Spirit rules over our lives with wisdom, I would say that he doesn't rule me very well! I hurt myself all the time!"

"Maybe someday the Great Spirit will reward you for that."

-"I would prefer if I didn't hurt myself all the time." said Tojo.

"Well, the lesson is finished." said Mufasa. "You can all go. Tojo, are you sure that you don't need me to take you home?"

"I can come back by myself." said Tojo. "But thank you, anyway."

Tojo went limping to the usual rest place of the pride, being supported by Simba. Ironically enough, Tojo was now being helped how to walk by the one that he had helped to learn how to walk.

Tojo complained a lot: "Now that I have sprained my leg, Rafiki said that I need to rest! Rest! That is for old people!"

"I promise to come visit." said Simba trying to cheer up Tojo, when they were coming close to the place where the pride normally rested. He left Tojo under a tree, who said:

"Goodbye, Simba. Go and have fun, while I'm bored around here."

"No you don't." said one voice.

Simba and Tojo looked around, and saw Kilia coming close.

"I will stay with you." said Kilia. "It's only because of me that you are like that."

And so, Kilia made some company to Tojo, who was slightly happier.

Simba started to leave, but, before leaving said goodbye to Tojo, and said something more:

"Who knows, maybe the Great Spirit has some reason for you to stay home."

Tojo had his doubts, but he didn't say anything. And so, Simba left for his walk.

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So, Simba went for a walk in the mountain, while thinking about Tojo. It should be really bad, having to stay absolutely immobile for undetermined time. It was really bad luck. He wouldn't be able to do anything there. Simba just hoped that Kilia would give him good company… but maybe she shouldn't do it. She had never seen Kula jealous. Kula and Tojo tried to keep it a secret, but Simba and Nala found out that Tojo had a crush on Kula, and Kula had also one on Tojo. And if Kilia stayed around Tojo much more time, Kula could be jealous. No one in the pride had ever seen Kula jealous, but things wouldn't be easy surely.

"I just hope that Kilia hasn't fallen in love with Tojo." thought Simba, while climbing the mountain.

When Simba was almost arriving to the top, he saw a strange thing. But it was too far for him to see what it was.

"I wonder what that is." said Simba. "I think that I'll go up there to see."

So, Simba went up to the mountain, climbing to the top, and, when he came closer, he saw what seemed to be branches. Lots of branches, who seemed to be put in a quite careful way. But there were no trees up there.

"I wonder who put that here." said Simba, coming close.

When Simba finally came close, he saw that there was a bird nest.

"It's a bird nest." said Simba. "And has six eggs in it."

In fact the bird nest had six eggs. And, at that moment, under Simba's surprised eyes, the eggs began to hatch. And some time later, there are six bird babies. And they were big. Simba couldn't guess their specie, but that didn't really care at the moment. They were looking at Simba with their beaks open.

"Easy." said Simba, a little bit scared. "You're pretty big bird babies."

The birds had their beaks open at Simba, and Simba thought that it was because they were hungry.

"Are you hungry?" asked Simba, without knowing what to do. "What kind of food do you eat?"

"Ah, the little ones have hatched! Funny you were here, Simba." said one voice.

Simba looked around, and, after some short searching, saw Zazu flying in his direction. However, he didn't get what Zazu meant with his last sentence.

"What do you mean, Zazu?" asked Simba.

"Well…" said Zazu. "I've kept an eye on that nest for a few days. The bird mother is gone. But now they don't need her."

"Nonsence!" said Simba angrily. Zazu was saying that defenceless newborn babies didn't need their mother?

"Of course they need her!" kept Simba.

"You don't get it…" said Zazu, beginning to get somewhat fun.

"Get to the point, Zazu." said Simba, confused.

"You are their mother!" said Zazu. "You are the first creature they saw! That makes you their mother."

"ME?" asked Simba, completely amazed.

He could barely believe that he would have the responsibility of taking care of six big bird babies, at such a young age. What he could do? He simply couldn't take care of them.

"That's how it is!" said Zazu. "They'll follow you and do whatever you do now."

"You're kidding, Zazu!" said Simba, becoming more and more scared at the second. "Tell me that is a joke!"

"No way." said Zazu, chuckling. "You have very cute kids! And they are hungry! Wait here! I'll get some food."

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While he was waiting for Zazu, Simba was thinking about the disgrace that fell in his paws. He, a young cub, only with three months, already had the responsibility of taking care of six baby birds. And they were quite big. Simba didn't want to think how the birds would be when they were adult.

"No one could be in a worst situation." thought Simba.

But, at that moment, he thought about Tojo, who had his leg sprained, and could barely walk. At least Simba was fully healthy, and didn't have to be under trees resting, without being able to play.

Simba came back to reality when he saw Zazu arriving… with lots of worms! He saw Zazu carrying some worms in his beak, and much more in his claws.

"Oh, no, please, not that!" said Simba, terrified.

"Here are some nice worms for the babies!" said Zazu, after dropping his worms. "You have to feed them by holding the worms with your mouth, and put them in their beaks, like the real mother would."

"Forget it!" said Simba. "I will not put worms in my mouth."

"Do you refuse, Simba?" asked Zazu. "Look how cute and hungry the birds are."

Simba looked to the birds. It was hard to admit, but they looked so cute… and so hungry at the same time… if Simba didn't put the worms in their mouths, they would die… but the worms were disgusting… but, if he would be king, shouldn't he care about the safety of his subjects? The birds were, in a way, his subjects. Simba would have to feed them.

And so, Simba grabbed one of the worms in his mouth, and tried to give it to one of the birds, but the bird, instead of eating the worm, beaked Simba's nose.

"Ouch!" said Simba, but without dropping the worm.

"Stop complaining." said Zazu. "The kids are happy, and that should make you happy."

This made Simba to put another worm in his mouth, to feed the bird. He would need quite some worms to feed all the birds.

After some time, many patience, and some beaks in the nose, Simba managed to fill the stomachs of the small birds.

"The worst part is that tomorrow they'll need more." thought Simba.

But he asked to Zazu:

"May I go home now?"

"Yes." said Zazu.

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On Pride Rock, Mufasa and Sarabi were both getting worried with Simba. Normally, he never arrived that late.

"I only hope he hasn't followed Tojo's example, and went to the Outlands." said Sarabi.

"No, I don't think he went…" said Mufasa, but without much conviction.

Going to the Outlands was exactly the sort of thing that Simba would do, specially after seeing that another cub already had gone, and had returned almost like a hero. But Simba could be less lucky than Tojo in that part.

However, Mufasa and Sarabi didn't need to get more worried, because they saw Simba coming to them. He seemed tired. Mufasa and Sarabi went up to him.

"What happened son?" asked Mufasa

"Are you alright?" asked Sarabi.

"I'm alright." said Simba, rubbing against his mother's front paw, and then hugging his father. "But I must speak with you father."

"Why?" asked Mufasa, confused.

"Can we go to the top of Pride Rock?" asked Simba.

"Yes, we can." said Mufasa.

"I'll tell you what happened later, mom." said Simba.

"Alright." said Sarabi.

So, Mufasa and Simba climbed to the top of Pride Rock, and then they sat down.

"What happened exactly, son?" asked Mufasa, after they were comfortably installed.

"Well, you see dad, I found a bird nest in the mountain. When I watched it, the six eggs that were in the bird nest hatched, and now there are six eagle-like bird chicks. And I want to ask you something about the Great Spirit. Will the Great Spirit take care of them?"

"No, Simba." said Mufasa. "The Great Spirit chose you to take care of them."

Simba got disappointed, but he would take it. If the Great Spirit chose him to take care of the birds, he would do it.

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So, Simba ended taking care of the baby birds. Because of that, he had little time to play with any other of the lion cubs. Most of the cubs, Nala particularly, didn't enjoy the idea too much, but they understood that Simba had to take care of the birds. But Simba didn't like the idea. However, he was ready to do it.

As for Tojo… things weren't exactly going easy to him. Kula was always jealous that Kilia was around Tojo, and never missed a chance of being around him, to keep the newly welcomed cub under her sight.

One day, around a week after Simba having found the baby birds, Scar and Zira were passing by the tree were Tojo was lying down, resting. Both Kula and Kilia were with him, and things weren't being easy. While Kula and Kilia tried to make some friendly talk with Tojo, they ended up in an unfriendly talking with eachother.

"Tojo is mine!" said Kula. "Get out!"

"Yours?" asked Kilia. "How can you say that? He's not your boyfriend."

"If he's not my boyfriend, surely he isn't yours!" shouted Kula.

Tojo tried to walk away, but with his sprained leg, he couldn't get up without help.

Scar watched Tojo between Kula and Kilia, and said: "That's enough. No one of them seems to be real Tojo's friend. They are disturbing his rest."

Scar walked to the three cubs, and cleared his throat. The cubs stopped discussing. The three of them looked to Scar. Scar quite scared them. He didn't seem mean, but he had a quite scary look.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was passing by and I heard you." said Scar. "And no one of you two, Kula and Kilia, seems to be real Tojo's friend. If you were, you would discuss far from him. Tojo doesn't have to hear this. He is feeling bad enough."

Kula and Kilia, a little bit ashamed, went away. Tojo seemed a little bit sad by seeing them going away, but then he turned to Scar, and said: "Thank you, Mr. Scar."

"You're welcome." said Scar.

Then, Scar went away with Zira.

"Why did you protect him?" asked Zira to Scar while they were walking.

"The kid already has enough trouble with his sprained leg." said Scar. "I just hope it doesn't leave a scar, and that he can walk again."

"Speaking about a scar…" said Zira. "How did you get yours?"

Scar got a little bit angry. Zira was asking about his scar again. And she was awakening a painful memory. But then, Scar thought that it was the right time for him to make another question to Zira. He would tell Zira this thing about his traumatic past with the scar, if Zira told him about her life in her real pride.

"I will tell you how I got the scar." said Scar. "If you tell me what happened for you to leave your pride."

"I always hoped that you loved me without looking to my past…" replied Zira, with a bit tensed voice. "But if you must know to trust me…"

"No!" interrupted her Scar. "You took me very wrong. I don't care of what happened there. I'm just curious to know you better. That's all. I won't force you to tell me. If you don't wish to, don't say."

"Uh… alright." said Zira, bowing her head. "One day, I would have to tell it, I can't keep it just to me."

"OK." said Scar. "I tell first."

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_What did you think? Please, review!_


	12. Chapter 11: Painful memories

_Well, here it is chapter 11. Sheki (male) and Saada (female) are my characters, and they are not to be used without my permission. Now that stuff is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 11 – Painful memories**

"I hope you're satisfied." said Taka to the three hyena pups.

He had been feeding them during almost two months since the day he had Mufasa had found them. Taka was six months old on that time, and the hyena pups were a month younger than him.

The effort of taking care of the three hyena pups forced the little cub Taka to train his hunting abilities, and he was getting better. Eventhough he failed more times than managed to catch the prey, he normally managed to hunt at least one prey for day to the pups and himself.

His preys normally were baby antelopes, or hares. In the days when he didn't manage to catch anything, he was forced to steal from the preys hunted by the pride. For now, it wasn't yet a too big problem, because the hyenas were small, and he didn't need to steal too much food, but they were growing up, and he would only have one solution: hunt well, or allow the pride to discover the pups, and kill them. Most certainly, when that happened, he would also be banished from the Pride Lands… and he couldn't imagine that. To go away… leave his brother… his mother… his grandparents…

But for now that wouldn't be a problem. The hyenas were satisfied for one more day, and he would have to go away. The hyenas had to sleep the three alone, because Taka couldn't make them company. If he tried to, the pride would get suspicious, and he was suspicious enough already. Before meeting the three hyenas, Taka always went to his lessons with Mohatu, always played with Mufasa, and went around with his mother.

Now, Taka kept going with his lessons to Mohatu, and also played a little bit with Mufasa, but he seemed always exausted, and way thinner. His family was always worried about him, except Ahadi, who didn't pay attention, except for hating him.

He would have to go home before the pride got suspicious.

Shenzi answered: "Yes, we have enough."

Banzai said: "I'm not hungry anymore."

Ed simply laughed.

"His laughter said everything." said Taka, smiling. "Now, I have to go away. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Can't you stay with us?" asked Banzai, in a slightly scared voice.

He used to be afraid of sleeping without his mother, and in a way, Taka had become a mix of mother, father, and brother.

"No, Banzai." replied Taka, sighing. "I wouldn't be as worried if I knew that you were safe, but I can't stay far from Pride Rock not even for one night, or you will be discovered. If that happens… they will most likely kill you."

"Alright then…" said Banzai, although he was disappointed. "See ya tomorrow."

Taka left the cave, and ran back to Pride Rock as fast as he could.

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Mohatu was sitting on the top of Pride Rock, looking at the stars, and thinking. Thinking about his life… and one mistake… probably his biggest mistake.

He had accepted Ahadi as a member of his pride… no, not as a member of his pride, as future king… and now king…

Ahadi seemed such a good lion, and Mohatu knew that he was a good lion, and was an acceptable king. But and Taka… why he hated Taka? Taka had done nothing wrong… maybe some traumatic past of Ahadi was awakened by Taka's birth? But how to be sure?

The only one who knew was Ahadi… maybe also Mega… but no one of them wanted to tell. Mohatu had understood, by Mega's attitude, that he wanted to tell, but he had promised Ahadi that he wouldn't. Now, how to discover it?

Because he had to discover. Without discovering it, he would never be able to help Ahadi to surpass it, and he would never love Taka… because Taka needed the love of his father.

"Oh, Great Kings…" said Mohatu, looking at the stars. "… what shall I do?"

And then, surprisingly, someone answered him. Some wind began blowing around him, and he heard one cubbish voice saying: "Just… speak with Ahadi calmly… don't force him to tell anything… be comprehensive…"

That voice was almost undistinguishable in the wind; it could be almost the wind whistling in an un-natural way. Mohatu couldn't understand too well what was happening, but his ears flicked up, trying to get the rest of the talking. His father once told him of seeing one of the Great Kings of the Past in the stars. Maybe this was another, trying to speak to him. Mohatu decided that, if no one answered him, it would be a dream.

But then, another voice, quite simmilar to the first one, but a little bit different, asked: "Hey, what is left for me to say, Tarki?"

"Shut up, Hamu!" said the first voice. "I'm speaking with a king! Don't you have education?"

"Wait!" shouted Mohatu. "Who are you? Where are you? Speak to me!"

But no one answered to the brown-maned lion. He kept looking to the stars… could it be a message from the Great Kings of the Past? But, if it was, why the voice was speaking like it seemed cubbish?

"Maybe it's me getting old." said Mohatu. "But I have only eleven years…what might have happened?"

"Why can't you just follow that idea?" asked a third voice, in a calm way.

But this voice was no one of the two first ones. It seemed the voice of an adult lion, also somewhere in the wind… it was also almost undistinguishable… would it be another part of the day-dream? But Mohatu concluded that, even if it was a day-dream, it was a nice idea. He would accept it.

"Alright." said Mohatu loud, without knowing exactly if he was being heard. "I accept the idea."

Mohatu got up, and descended Pride Rock, waiting for the proper time to talk with Ahadi.

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Unaware to Ahadi, Mohatu, and most of the living ones, the Great Kings of the Past, or, like they were sometimes called, the Ancient Ones, were always watching the living ones from the stars. And, when it came to Ahadi, he was being observed by his father, his mother, Kimya, Hamu, and Tarki. They had been watching him since the day when they had died. And they were beginning to get worried about their newest relative, Taka.

Ajizi, Masa, Kimya, Hamu, and Tarki could understand, at least to a certain extention, why Ahadi hated Taka. It was all a matter of unfortunate similarities, in both physical-look and in the way how he was born, that made Ahadi to remember the family members that he had lost.

And the worst part was that they couldn't interfere. One of the rules of being an Ancient One is that they can interfere in the living ones world only when they know exactly what to do. To tell the truth, neither Ajizi, Masa, Kimya, Tarki, or Hamu knew what to do. The only way of interfering would be to speak with one member of Ahadi's pride.

But who would they choose? Mega? Deffinetly not. He had already proved uneficient in convincing Ahadi to deffinetly put his past behind his back. With Uru? It was an even worst choice. She knew little or nothing about Ahadi's family, and she also had tried to convince Ahadi to ignore, not forget, but ignore, his past.

However, after some investigation, Hamu realized that the best lion to speak with his father was Mohatu, who was already said, among the Ancient Ones, to be one of the best kings that the Pride Lands had during the last generations. So, Hamu said that it would be better to speak with Mohatu.

The ideal would be if Ajizi was the one speaking with Mohatu… but, at least since Ahadi arrived to the Pride Lands, he had been named Sky-Arbitrer, so he could not physically interfere on the world below. Which meant that Hamu would probably be the one speaking with Mohatu. But Tarki was the one who spoke with the living former king. Now, they were discussing.

"Tarki, I had the idea, I should have been the one speaking with Mohatu!" said Hamu, a little bit bored with his uncle.

"But I was closer!" said Tarki. "And what difference it makes?"

"Can you calm down, you two?" asked Ajizi, who was beginning to get nervous. "The only hope is that this plan works. It doesn't matter who speaks with Mohatu."

Ajizi used to be quite calm, but the discussion of the cubs was beginning to annoy him.

"Honey, you don't need to get mad at him." said Masa, trying to calm down her mate.

"Alright…" said Ajizi, calming down. "I won't. Now let's just wait for Taka to return to Pride Rock."

"You won't have to wait too much." said Kimya.

She normally stayed out of all discussions, trying to pay attention to the living ones, particularly to Ahadi. The other four ghosts looked, and saw it was truth. Taka had returned to Pride Rock.

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"Taka!" said Uru, in a half-stern, half-relieved voice, when she saw her son arriving to Pride Rock. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, mom." said Taka, bowing his head, apologizing. "I tried to come back fast, but I lost the notion of time."

"You didn't go to the Outlands, right?" asked Laini, worried.

"Or to "the shadowy place", right?" asked Mohatu.

Taka didn't know what to answer. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't tell the truth, or the hyenas would be killed, for sure. So, he said the best thing that came to his mind: "I have been… wandering around."

"Or… I see…" said Uru, in the typical voice of a mother who doesn't believe her son. "Wandering around…"

But Taka was saved from more questions, in the worst possible way. Ahadi had appeared, to ask when Uru would come in, and he saw Taka. Taka shrinked back, and then Ahadi said, in the typical voice full of hatred that he used when he spoke to Taka: "So, the trash is back, eh? And late! And alive! Let's go inside!"

"Here we go again…" thought Laini, when Mohatu intervened.

"Ahadi… may we speak?" asked the former king, in a calm voice.

Ahadi looked at the brown lion, and, after some seconds, said: "Alright… let's talk, Mohatu."

"How about a walk to the waterhole?" asked Mohatu.

"OK." said Ahadi, forgetting Taka for some moments.

The two imposive lions left Pride Rock, walking to a close waterhole.

"I wonder what is father's idea of talking with Ahadi." said Uru.

"Don't worry, Uru." said Laini. "Your father is the best and wisest king that the Pride Lands ever had. Remember, he started his rule when he was only two years and a half old, and, alone, almost without experience, managed to keep the Pridelanders and the Desertlanders safe during the Great Drought. Not even one lion died under his reign."

"The Desertlanders returned to their home, the Desert Lands, right after the drought finished, right mom?" asked Uru, curious.

"Yes." said Laini. "From them, only one stayed."

"That was you, mom!" thought Uru. The brown lioness knew far too well that story. There were quite some stories about the love of Mohatu and Laini.

"And I'm sure that your father can talk with Ahadi and convince him to love Taka." said Laini. "Or, at least, we will discover why Ahadi hates his second son."

"Mom…" asked Uru, almost crying on her mother's shoulder. "What happened to Ahadi? He changed so much since the day when Taka was born!"

"I don't know, my dear." said Laini. "Probably we'll never know. Unless Ahadi wants to tell us."

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"The drink was good, don't you think?" asked Ahadi, about an hour later, when he and Mohatu left the waterhole.

They had been talking about some usual things, like the weather, and the way how Ahadi was rulling the Pride Lands, which was rather good, because there were few lions and lionesses of the pride that complained. But now, Mohatu would go straight to the real reason that made him to talk with Ahadi.

"Ahadi, may I ask you something?" asked Mohatu.

"Sure." replied Ahadi, unaware of what his father-in-law would ask. "What is it?"

"It's about you… and Taka…" said Mohatu.

Ahadi's eyes got narrowed, and his look passed frow un-worried to angry. He was getting sick of that question. But, without knowing why, he said, although in a dark and angry voice: "What is it?"

"Why do you hate him so much?" asked Mohatu, making a serious face.

Ahadi roared to Mohatu, but the former king was unimpressed. He was right on his place, seemingly unsurprised by Ahadi's reaction. The blackmaned lion was surprised with the older lion's attitude, and then, Ahadi said:

"Because… he did terrible things in the past… he killed my mother… he killed Kimya… and he tried to kill Uru…"

Mohatu was finally getting somewhere. He assumed that Ahadi's mother… and that Kimya, who was Ahadi's first mate, according to what Uru told him, should have died during the birth of a cub. The cubs should look like Taka, or Ahadi wouldn't blame specifically Taka, because he was extremely happy when Mufasa was born.

"I will never forget that…" said Ahadi in an extremely sad voice, bowing his head. "My mother dead... Kimya… those two cubs covered in blood, with wide open dead eyes…"

And then, Ahadi cried. During all those years, he had been repressing many tears. Now, he was releasing them. Mohatu came close to Ahadi carefully, and put his paw on the golden lion's shoulders, trying to comfort him.

Ahadi stopped crying, and then Mohatu said: "Look around you… there is no death anymore… everything that is left now… is life. And… your mother, your father, Kimya, your brother, and your other son, they all keep living in you… in Mufasa… and in Taka…

Ahadi wiped his tears off with his left front paw, and then he said, in a sad voice: "Alright… I'll try… I don't say that I will succeed… but I will try… to love Taka."

And so, Ahadi returned to Pride Rock, unaware that five pairs of eyes were watching him. Mohatu followed him.

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"I just hope your idea will work, Hamu." said Tarki to his twin-looking nephew.

"I hope it too…" said Hamu.

"Now… we just have to wait 'till tomorrow." said Kimya.

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Taka woke up early on the next day, like he always did. He was always, or at least, most of the times, the first member of the pride to wake up. He slept on the center of the cave, on the royal stone, lying down against his mother, like Mufasa. Ahadi slept on the other side of Uru.

Taka got up, and prepared to wake up his brother, but then he thought better. Normally, when he tried to wake up his brother, he woke up at least his mother and father, sometimes even the whole pride. And Ahadi hated to be waken up early. Normally it ended on the first discussion of the day. To be honest, the first discussion of the day was always when Ahadi woke up and saw Taka.

Then, Taka felt something. His father was waking up! Taka lied down, and pretended to be asleep, but his father yawned, and got up in a quite unelegant way, that pushed Uru and Mufasa enough for them to wake up. Taka couldn't pretend to be sleeping anymore. He was pushed so much that he had to get up.

Uru and Mufasa also got up, still sleepy.

"Good morning, dad." said Mufasa, after yawning.

"Good morning, dear." said Uru.

"Good morning, dear." replied Ahadi. "Good morning, son."

Taka got still and quiet, hoping that his father wouldn't notice him. Normally was a lost hope, because his father had sharp senses. And it seemed that would be like that this time as well... Ahadi looked right at him. Taka avoided to look to the piercing green eyes of his father, and waited for the first shout of the day, but surprisingly, his father only said:

"Good morning, Taka."

Taka looked at his father, with deep surprise in his eyes. For the first time since he could recall, Ahadi was being friendly at him. Why? Uru seemed as impressed as Ahadi, without knowing the sudden reason for her mate's attitude to change.

Mufasa, however, seemed impatient, and asked, jumping in circles in front of his father: "So, father, what you will teach me, today?"

Ahadi looked at Mufasa, and said, with an uncertain voice: "Uh… Mufasa… today you will have the lessons with your grandfather."

"Oh… that's not so bad." said Mufasa. "Then, I and Taka will have the lessons together?"

"No…" said Ahadi. "Taka… today you will have your lessons with me."

Taka looked at his father, confused. Ahadi was actually talking with him friendly… fatherly? What had happened for his father's attitude to change? However, he was happy for it.

"Son… I want to apologize you… for not having been such a good father to you…" kept Ahadi, growing nervous. "Do you… forgive me?"

All the pride was focusing on Ahadi. Mega was looking at him with the most curious expression from the whole pride.

"So…" thought Mega. "Ahadi finally "forgave" Hamu and Tarki? I never thought he would. I wonder what happened."

"It's simple…" said a cubbish voice that seemed to be somewhere inside his head. "I spoke with him."

Mega didn't recognize the voice, but he didn't care too much. He was just happy that Ahadi was finally putting the hatred of the past behind himself. But… would Taka accept?

Taka had no answer. At least, no answer that could be expressed by words. He simply hugged his father's paw. Ahadi felt nervous, but he also hugged his son.

"Now, father, what will we learn?" asked Taka.

"Well, today's lesson will have to wait for night time." said Ahadi. "But, on the mean time, we can make up for lost time, my son."

And so, Taka and Ahadi left the cave.

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"Grandpa!" said Mufasa to Mohatu, on that night, after Taka and Ahadi having left the cave again, for Taka's night lesson. It seeemed that, during the whole day, Taka and Ahadi had a fun day, while they made up, and Mufasa wasn't happy with that. Sure he was happy for his brother, for his father being finally making up with him, but what about himself? Would his father begin to hate him, like he had hated Taka?

So, it wasn't weird that Mufasa spoke to his grandfather with a worried voice: "Did father change me for Taka?"

"No, Mufasa." said Mohatu kindly. "Of course not. He is only making up for lost time. Don't be selfish. You had your father only for yourself during your whole life. If won't be as hard if you "lend" him to Taka for one day."

At that moment, Mega approached Mufasa and Mohatu. He spoke nervously: "Uh… King Mohatu?"

"Not king anymore, my boy." said Mohatu. "But what do you want with me?"

Mufasa left the cave, while Mega said to Mohatu: "Did you speak with Ahadi?"

"Uh… yes." said Mohatu, a little bit nervous.

"Thank you." said Mega. "For having managed to do in one night something that I failed in doing during four months."

"You're welcome." said Mohatu.

Meanwhile, Mufasa, outside the cave, was looking at the stars. He thought: "Grandpa may be right… but I don't want to exchange place with Taka! And I have the right idea to make father hate him and love me again. Sorry, Taka, but it won't be so bad for you too. Things will only return to what they were before. I just hope… that you forgive me."

Taka was a kind cub, he forgave most of the things, some of them that no other cub would forgive. The golden cub just hoped this would be another one of those things that his younger brother would forgive.

Mufasa then left Pride Rock, and went to look for his father and brother.

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"You mean… all the creatures that ever lived are up there?" asked Taka to his father.

Ahadi had taken him to an open plain, where stars could easily be seen. As a matter of fact, to the same open plain where he and Uru had talked calmly for the first time. And he told Taka exactly the same story that Ajizi had told him. Taka was amazed by the story. He used to think that stars were giant firefiles that were very far and still on the night sky.

"Yes, son." answered Ahadi calmly. "But the Great Kings of the Past are brighter than the other ones. I don't know too much of these stars yet… your grandfather Mohatu is in better position to teach you that. But that one…" Ahadi pointed to one bright star " is Sheki, your great-grandfather, father of Mohatu, and that other one" Ahadi pointed to another star close to the first one "is Saada, mother of your grandfather Mohatu."

"Uh… father…" asked Taka, a little bit fearful. "Did your father tell you that story when you were a cub?"

Ahadi suddenly got mad, and looked at Taka in his "usual" way of looking at him. Taka got scared. But soon, Ahadi calmed down, and said: "Yes, Taka. My father told me that story."

"Hello, dad. Hello Taka." said one voice.

Taka and Ahadi turned around, and saw Mufasa arriving. Taka was quite surprised, but Ahadi also was. He told: "What are you doing here, Mufasa?"

"I just came to ask if Taka and I can have the lesson together." said Mufasa, a little bit scared.

"No, Mufasa." said Ahadi. "Today is Taka's turn…"

But Taka interrupted him: "Father, why can't you let Muffy to have the lesson with me? It would be cool."

Both Mufasa and Ahadi were amazed, but Mufasa was the most amazed of the two. Taka, for the first time in his life, was getting his father's attention in a positive way, and yet he accepted to share it with him?

"Taka is too kind for his own good." thought Mufasa. "Oh… Taka… I promise you that I will forget… no, I can't forget about that plan. Father can't divide his attention by both of us… I'm sorry."

And so, Mufasa went in, lied down at Taka's side, and asked, trying to make a casual voice: "So, Taka, how are your hyena friends?"

Right after, he took his paw to the mouth and said: "Ups", trying to make it real. And, for one last moment, he really hoped that Ahadi wouldn't hear, but Ahadi heard. And Taka heard as well. And more… he noticed that Mufasa had done it purposely. No… it couldn't be Mufasa… the Mufasa that he knew, the Mufasa that was his best friend, and also his protector from his father's madness, would never have done it.

"Why, Mufasa?" thought Taka, with a terrified expression. "Why? Why have you done it?"

Ahadi turned to Taka with the typical expression from hatred in his eyes, with the typical look that he had.

"If Mufasa is telling the truth, I was right." thought the black-maned lion, looking at his terrified son. "He is an evil spirit. But I will check it."

"Taka… is Mufasa speaking the truth?" asked Ahadi, with pure hatred, barely repressing himself from squashing his son like a fly.

But Mufasa quicky-stepped in and said: "No dad. I didn't mean it. I mean… mongoose! Taka has three mongoose friends! And he... he has been feeding them, because the three hyena pups… mongoose, I meant, are orphaned! Yes, the hyena pups are orphaned!"

Ahadi looked at Taka with deep hatred in his eyes. He thought: "I was right. He is an evil spirit! I must punish him."

The big lion added loud: "Taka, is Mufasa telling the truth?"

Taka looked at Ahadi completely paralysed by fear. He only managed to get enough bravery to say: "Yes…"

"Well then!" shouted Ahadi. "You are punished! Get back to Pride Rock right now! You will never again have lesssons, or any other happy moments, with me!"

Taka turned around, while Mufasa prepared himself to replace Taka. For some moments, their stares crossed, and Taka saw undisguised triumph in his brother's eyes. And, in that moment, he felt something that he never thought that he would be able to feel. Rage. An insane rage for his brother, for having destroyed the only chance that he would ever have to get along with his father.

"I hate you, Mufasa!" thought Taka. "I'll get you for that."

And Taka, with a lot of practice from his hunts, pounced on his brother with incredible speed, and with an increbible precision. He pinned Mufasa to the ground, and extended his claws. But Mufasa was stronger than him.

Mufasa pushed his brother from him with his hind paws, and extended his claws as well. He prepared to make a hit on Taka, but Taka had fast reflexes, and avoived Mufasa's blow, but Mufasa hit him with another paw. Taka pounced on Mufasa again, pinning him on his back, and prepared to make another hit on Mufasa's face, when he saw a shadow, almost un-distinguishable in the night. Taka looked up, and saw his father's paw, with extended claws, preparing to hit him. In the last second, Taka stepped back, in an attemp to avoid the giant paw of the golden lion, but one of the claws hit Taka on his left eye. Mufasa remained lying down.

Taka fell, because even the impact of a claw of such a big lion was dangerous for a small cub. But he didn't get damaged eye. Only a wound. Ahadi approached Taka, and, with pure hatred on his expression, lifted his paw again.

"Now I knowI was right." thought Ahadi. "He is an evil spirit. He killed my mother, he killed Kimya, he tried to kill Uru, he made friends with hyenas, and now he tried to kill Mufasa. Mother, Kimya… this is for you."

And he lowered his paw to crush the knocked out Taka, but someone pounced on him. Ahadi was temporarialy knocked out. When he got up, he saw that Uru had hit him. Ahadi got up, but Uru stepped protectively between Ahadi and the still knocked out Taka, who was slowly waking up.

"Get out of the way, Uru." ordered Ahadi. "Now!"

"For what?" asked Uru, looking directly into Ahadi's eyes. "For you to kill my son? Your son?"

"I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF THE WAY!" shouted Ahadi, preparing himself to pounce on Uru, when someone threw him to the side.

Ahadi got up, and saw Mohatu, Laini, and Mega. They joined to Uru, stepping protectively between the enraged lion and the waking up cub. Mufasa remained completely aside, scared by what he was seeing. He wanted his father's attention, but he never thought that something would happen. Taka had almost been killed, and his father was… completely crazy! He really hated Taka!

"Uh…" said Taka, getting up.

"Taka!" said Mufasa, running to his brother, trying to help him to get up. "Are you alright?"

But Taka smacked him with his paw. His claws were hidden, but Mufasa still felt a little bit dizzy. Then, he looked to his brother, getting up. And Mufasa got completely shocked by the sight. There was a wound, a single wound, over Taka's left eye, that made him look scary. The blood coming out of it, and even some more that was over his face, made him to look even scarier.

"I hate you, Mufasa…" said Taka. But he didn't speak with his usual voice. It was a voice that seemed… more mature, and so full of anger...

"I hate you so much that you can never know." completed Taka.

Then, he passed under his mother, and went to his father, still enraged. Ahadi looked at Taka, but, for once, he was the one who got scared. Taka was looking at him in such a… hateful… way.

"Thank you… father." said Taka with the same unusual voice. "You always hated me, since the day when I was born, and I never knew why."

"Say it to another!" thought Ahadi. "You know very well why I hate you! Because you killed my mother, Kimya, and tried to kill Uru!"

"I still don't know why, but I couldn't hate you without a reason. And I had no reason. 'Till now. So, thank you."

"You are banished!" shouted Ahadi, with an impulse of uncontrolled hatred. "You are banished from the Pride Lands!"

This shocked everyone, particularly Uru, Mohatu, and Laini.

"Ahadi is banishing a small cub from his pride?" thought Laini. "He won't survive!"

"You can't do that!" shouted Uru. "You can't banish him!"

"I AM THE KING!" shouted Ahadi. "I can do whatever I want!"

"Don't banish him, please!" begged Mufasa, with tears coming out from his eyes.

"You are too soft, Mufasa!" said Ahadi, almost without changing his voice. "He tried to kill you! But alright, he is banished only for a month!"

He added to Taka: "And, if I ever see you again during that month, I will kill you! Understand?"

"Yes… father." replied Taka, knowing that the word "father" would stress his father. "But, there is one thing that you should know, and you can say it to the whole pride. From now on, my name won't be Taka. My name is "Scar"!"

And he turned to his mother, grandmother, and grandfather. They were all crying.

Scar said: "Mom… grandpa… grandma… remember that I love you, and, where ever I go, you will be in my heart. Goodbye. See you a month from now."

And Scar turned around, and walked towards north, to the Elephant Graveyard.

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On the Sky World, another discussion between the "Two Clones" like some Ancient Ones had nicknamed them, was starting.

"Look at the result of your idea!" shouted Tarki to Hamu. "Now, Taka is no longer Taka!"

"Calm down, OK?" asked Hamu. "I couldn't guess that Mufasa would be that jealous!"

Tarki calmed down a little bit. He said: "Uh… that's right. You couldn't guess. Not even the Ancient Ones can read into the living ones' minds."

Masa approached her son and grandson, and looked down, to the running Scar. She was extremely sad.

"Do you think Taka will survive a month alone?" asked Masa, but without hoping for any real answer.

Ajizi approached the lioness, placed his paw over her shoulders, and said: "Don't worry, my dear. He will be all right. He knows much about hunting for himself. That's something neither you, I, Kimya, Mega, or Ahadi knew."

"But hunting isn't enough." said Masa. "There are rogue lions out there, that may kill cubs when they see them. And rogue lionesses, who take cubs to raise them as their own. Not to mention hyena packs, who…"

"You deffinetly don't have too much of a positive spirit, hey, Grandma?" asked Hamu.

Kimya approached of the other Ancient Ones, looked down, but to Ahadi, not to Scar. She only said: "Ahadi… what has happened to you? You were so kind…"

"I think I know his problem." said Hamu, going to his mother. "He still loves you and grandma too much, as well as he hates me and Tarki."

Tarki looked at Hamu angrily, but Ajizi turned his son's head to him, and said: "Hamu is right. It's a sad truth."

Tarki let out a sigh of resignation.

"And…" kept Hamu. "As he loves you and grandma too much, he is determined to avenge you."

"But… Hamu…" said Kimya, almost crying. "Now that I'm dead, I just want him to be happy with Uru, Mufasa, and Taka! Is that too much?"

"Not Taka anymore." replied Tarki. "Scar. My dear sister-in-law, I know it's sad, but there's nothing we can do now. Now there is little, or no hopes, that my brother forgives my youngest nephew. We can only take care of him uphere. But don't "shoot" too much, or Scar will have a lot of wishes to make!"

The five ghosts chuckled a little bit at Tarki's comment, and then they looked to Scar, who was coming close to Border River.

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"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed!" shouted Scar, arriving to the triplets' cave. "Are you there?"

"Man, it was time for you to come, Taka!" said Banzai's voice. "We were so hungry, that we had to eat rotten meat from a dead antelope that we found here."

The triplets came out of the cave, and then, they noticed the fresh wound on Scar's left eye.

"Taka!" said Shenzi, worried. "Are you alright?"

"Uh… sorry." said Banzai.

He turned to Ed, almost hoping to hear him laughing, but this time even Ed wasn't in the mood for troubling Taka.

"Uh… my father made this to me." said Scar. "Why? Because he found out that I was meeting with you."

"Oh… Taka." said Shenzi, feeling a little bit guilty. "Sorry, we didn't mean to cause you trouble."

"Yeah…" said Banzai, also in a sad voice. "What now?"

"What now?" repeated Scar. "Now, my father banished me for a month, and that means I have time for you during the whole month. And next, my name is not Taka anymore. It's Scar. Now, let's go sleep."

"Alright… Scar." said Shenzi.

The four of them entered the cave.

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_What did you think? I know that Scar normally gets his scar when he's much older... but... Whatever, review, please._


	13. Chapter 12: Raging waters

_Well, here it is another chapter. Sparthi (male) Kauli (male), Rama (female), Kira (female) and the Golden Sands (place) are copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use them. Kadhi (male) Abiria (female) Kizingo (male) Ukame (female), Jambazi (male), Nduli (male), Taraja (female) and Sifia (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 12 – Raging waters**

"So…" said Zira, a little bit shocked by the story. "Your father gave you the scar?"

"Yes… and no." replied Scar.

"I see…" said Zira slowly. "Your father gave it to you physically, but it was Mufasa who made that to happen?"

"That's right…" said Scar. "Man… I never thought that I would hate him so much… how could he do that?"

"He's so self-centered…" said Zira, feeling almost the same anger that Scar.

"So…" said Scar, calming down a little bit. "I told my part. You tell your part. I won't force you, like I said, I love you without caring with your past."

"But I… I… I can't keep it just for me." said Zira, sighing. "I will tell… When I was a cub, I lived in a place, called the Golden Sands, that are part of the desert that makes border with the Pride Lands on northwest. I was… the princess of my pride."

"You were a princess?" asked Scar, amazed.

"More than that." replied Zira. "Because I was the first born, I was the rightful heir. I had a brother and a sister, they were from the same litter than me, but I was born first, like I told you. I used to play with them all the time. I was loved by my mother… by my father…"

"So, why you ran away?" asked Scar, without understanding.

"This is the really important part of the story."

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"Zira, do you really think that we will arrive to the Pride Lands without our parents knowing about that?" asked Zira's sister, Kira.

Zira was a cub with sandy fur, a darker dorsal stripe, and red eyes. Her younger brother Sparthi had the same colour than her, but had blue eyes, and a head-tuft darker than his fur. The youngest of the litter, Kira, was almost a copy of Zira, but she had dark-blue eyes. Their parents were king Arista and queen Malkha.

The three cubs always played together, and this time, they were trying to make one of their dreams to come true… to know the place where the Golden Pride had gone to live during the Great Drought, where they were saved by King Mohatu. They wanted to know the King Mohatu, but Zira wanted mainly to see the paradise, like her parents and grandparents had described the Pride Lands, and where, according with what Zira understood, her parents had been born. Her grandparents had died some time ago, from a strange illness.

"Of course we will." said Zira. "Hanja and Imani managed to, so we also will!"

Hanja and Imani were two cubs that went to the Pride Lands, and got there almost dehidrated. They were saved by Mufasa, Mohatu's grandson, who pushed them some more meters for them to drink water, because they were already too exhausted to walk. Soon, Arista and Malkha caught them and brought them back, but they had seen the Pride Lands.

"Zira…" began Sparthi. "I don't want to be pessimistic, but probably Hanja and Imani managed to because they were lucky, and because they were the first ones to try. The pride wasn't prepared for that. Now they are."

"And besides…" said Kira. "Don't you think that Jambazi and Nduli might be still around here?"

Jambazi and Nduli were two teenager males of the pride. They were twins, older brothers of Hanja. They used to be kind to the whole pride, but, one day, apparently without reason, they began turning really mean, they started tormenting everyone, particularly their cousin, Bovu, who had the same age that Hanja, and they also started creating disagreements and fights between the pride. Bovu ended up leaving the pride with his father Kadhi and his mother Abiria.

Eventually, Arista and Malkha, with the help of Jambazi and Nduli's father, Kizingo, and also with help from the twins' mother Ukame, they discovered that a group of seven rogues had caught the teenager lions, and tried to use them as a tool to take over the pride. But the rogues' plan failed, and there was a war between the rogues and Arista. During the war, Kizingo and Ukame were caught by some of the rogues, and Arista and Malkha by the others. The pride, who had been warned of the war by another lioness, Rama, arrived, and they chose to save Arista and Malkha first, while Kizingo and **U**kame were killed. The pride them moved on to the other rogues, and killed them, but the damage already had been done.

Since that day, Jambazi and Nduli began hating each lion they knew from the bottom of their souls. Arista was forced to banish them, and the whole pride escorted them to the border, while the orphaned Hanja was adopted by Rama.

"I don't think they would ever return." said Zira. "You saw as well as I how dad beat them up."

"Ahh… I'm getting tired." said Kira. "Let's sleep a little bit."

"Alright." said Sparthi. "There's a cave somewhere here. Let's go to it."

After some time of wandering in the golden sand, they found the cave that Sparthi mentioned, entered in it, and lied down.

"Good nap." said Zira.

"Same for you!" said Sparthi.

"I say the same!" said Kira.

And soon, the three cubs fell asleep in the cave.

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"Wake up, you three." said a soft and gentle voice.

Zira woke up, and saw one thing that she didn't like too much. Arista and Malkha had just entered the cave. They were discovered. Now, there wouldn't be too much chances of going to the Pride Lands.

"What you were doing here?" asked Malkha, with narrowed eyes.

"Uh… sleeping." said Sparthi, trying to convince his mother.

"So far from home?" asked Arista, who didn't believe a single word. "Our home is way more confortable that this cave."

"Uh… we were also walking." said Kira, confused.

"To the Pride Lands?" asked Arista, focusing his look directly on Zira.

Zira looked at her father's blue eyes… and she could not help but tell the truth.

"Yes, dad. To the Pride Lands." admitted Zira.

"I still don't see what's your idea of wanting to go there." said Arista.

"On the other hand, there's no problem in letting her go." said Malkha. "Not alone, of course. With one of us."

"Are you crazy?" asked Arista, without believing what his mate had said.

"No." said Malkha. "I don't see what's the problem. Let's see… Zira, you want to go to the Pride Lands, right?"

She turned to Kira and Sparthi, and asked: "Do you also want?"

The cubs looked to each other. They weren't as fearless as Zira. They also had some curiosity to what the Pride Lands looked like, but they prefered to stay home, the only place that they considered safe.

"Alright…" said Arista. "You and Zira will go to the Pride Lands for a little bit, and then you return here. I take Kira and Sparthi home."

And so, the cubs took separate ways.

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"Good to see you back, sir." said Rama, when Arista returned to the cave where the pride lived, named Golden Cave, with Kira and Sparthi. "Where were they?"

"Trying to go to the Pride Lands." said Arista, sighing. "Apparently, it was Zira's idea."

"Uh… I see…" said Rama.

Lately, it seemed that all the cubs from the pride were trying to reach the Pride Lands. The Pride Lands were almost a sacred place for the Golden Pride. If not for having arrived to the Pride Lands, and to the merciful king Mohatu, all the pride would have succumbed to the Great Drought. But the Great Drought had finished more than six years before, and the Golden Sands were… well, not exactly like they were before the Great Drought, who was a hard blow to the lands, but now they were, not like before the Great Drought, but good enough to feed the pride. However, lately, some of the members of the younger generation of Goldenlanders had an obsession with going to the Pride Lands.

The first ones to try were Imani and Hanja. Imani was punished by her mother, Taraja, by making such a foolish attempt (after all, it's not exactly easy for a cub to travel two hundred kilometers in the desert), and Hanja was also punished by his parents, Kizingo and Ukame.

But, deep inside, the cubs' attitude was understood, and Imani's sister, Sifia, was even quite jealous because she couldn't go to the Pride Lands.

Then, Rama noticed something. Arista, Kira, and Sparthi had returned, but Malkha and Zira were nowhere. What could have happened to them?

So, Rama asked:"But where is queen Malkha?"

"She… went with Zira to the Pride Lands." said Arista. "Why? To satisfy Zira's curiosity."

Sparthi and Kira went away, and began playing with Hanja, Imani, and Sifia, that were being watched by Taraja. Arista, on the other hand, sat there. He wanted to speak with Rama. She was… well, he had never been in love with her, but she was a special friend for both him and Malkha, she was around their age, and also had been born at the Pride Lands, like Arista and Malkha had. Maybe she would be the right member for Arista to expose his doubts.

Arista asked:"Uh… Rama, I want to ask you something. Not as a king, as lion."

"Sure… Arista." replied Rama, while she got up, and they went to the cave's entrance.

They sat down, and Arista began speaking: "Probably… you noticed that some of the youngest members of the pride are coming up with the idea of going to the Pride Lands. Where this pride went during the Great Drought, and where one of them even stayed. And I have been asking myself… if it is really such a bad idea to return there."

"Why do you say that?" asked Rama, with a confused, almost shocked, voice.

"Because… look around you… we returned here right when the Great Drought finished, instead of waiting some years, like we should have done… and, unlike what we thought, the Golden Sands hadn't recovered enough. And you… you have been born at the Pride Lands, just like me, you can compare both places, if there is some part to begin it."

"I sssssee what'ssss the problem, sssssire…" replied a hissing voice.

Arista almost jumped from scare, but then he noticed that it was just Kauli, a two meters long ball-phyton, the adviser. He had been recently admitted as adviser, but had been already proved quite a good adviser to the whole pride. Apparently, Rama had the same opinon.

"Well, I think that Kauli is a better adviser than me in that part." replied Rama, getting up. "Sorry, but I have to go."

And she turned, and went to help Taraja to take care of the playing cubs, while Kauli kept his speech.

"Sssso, you are afraid that, if there issss a Great Drought in the next timessss, the Golden Ssssandssss might get…"

"…completely imposssssible… I mean, impossible to live in?" asked Arista, guessing what Kauli meant. "Yes, that's exactly what I fear. If there is another Great Drough in less that fifteen years… ten, in most optimistical calculations, the Golden Sands might be ruined for good… I mean, for bad."

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"Mom, do you think that we are still far?" asked Zira, after they had walked for ten days. Or better to say, her mom made most of the walk, because Zira was normally carried by her mother.

The journey from the Golden Sands to the Pride Lands was way longer than both Zira and Malkha would have expected. Malkha already had made the journey some times, and she knew the way, and also knew that the place where they lived was about two-hundred kilometers northwest the Pride Lands. But having a cub to carry made the whole process quite slower, because a six months old cub wasn't used to travel so much. A journey that an adult desert lion would make in four, in some cases five days, would take at least some ten days to make with a cub. And for Zira, the days were growing bored, since everything she could do was to be carried, sometimes walk, or wait when her mother went on hunt, or looking for some fruits rich in water.

In the desert, both prey and water were quite scarce, and, when it came to prey, they were even harder to hunt. It could take several hours to find an animal, and, because there weren't many hideouts in the desert, it was quite difficult to sneak on any animal. But when someone knows where to find food and water, the problems are smaller. The desert isn't completely unhospitable.

When it came to find food, it was mainly during the night, but, during the day, there were also some preys. When a predator looked carefully on a sand-dune, it was possible to see some prey, like fennecs, or snakes. Even the poisonous snakes could be hunted, but a lion had to be very careful for not to be bitten.

If a lion knew about the right places, he could go there waiting for some small groups of oryx, or addax antelopes, that made good enough prey for a lion. They also offered some water, or better to say, blood, which kept the predadors hydrated for some more time. And, for water in a more "usual" way, dewdrops could be linked from the plants, or from plumes of grass. And, with enough knowledge, fruits and tubers rich in water could be found. It was just to open them, squeeze, and suck the juice that came out.

However, this wasn't enough for the hyper-active Zira. Everything what she could do was wait, drink, eat, and sleep. Sometimes, she walked on her own, but other times she was carried by her mother. She had nothing to do.

But, this time, both were walking, which allowed Malkha to answer. Normally, she said "It misses too much.". But this time, the queen gave a different answer.

"I think that we are still far." replied the queen. "I need to rest a little bit. And you should rest you. Probably we will arrive to the Pride Lands tomorrow. Who knows, maybe even today."

"But mom!" said Zira, annoyed.

"No buts, my dear." said Malkha. "We will go under that rock, and sleep."

Zira didn't want to, but she had no other choice. Malkha lied down on the shade on the rock, and soon fell asleep, but Zira didn't want to sleep. She was too excited.

So, she decided to climb the rock, to see the landscape. She climbed effortly, slipping several times along the way, but, in the end, she managed to climb to the top of the rock. And there was no doubt. The Desert Lands seen from above were beautiful.

"Mother looks so small seen from uphere." thought Zira. "It almost seems that I could hold her in my paws."

Zira looked at the landscape better. She could see sand… and sand… and only sand… no, not only sand. Somewhere on the east, there was an oasis, and on the south… a river… a big river… and on the other side… some greener areas.

"I see it!" shouted Zira. "The Pride Lands!"

Zira turned around, and pushed a small stone from the cliff. She prepared to go down, but then some extremely loud sound was heard. It was like rocks falling. And then… a roar… nothing more after that.

"Mom!" thought Zira, terrified. She slipped down the rock, and went to her mother. And she couldn't believe what she saw.

Her mother's head was coming out from under the huge stones… the stones that fell from the top of the rock… all because Zira had pushed a small stone!

"Oh… my god!" thought Zira. "I killed my own mother! I'm a monster!"

What she could do? Get help? No, her mother was deffinetly dead. Besides, she was too far from the cave to go there on her own. She would die before arriving there... and if she died, she would meet her mother again, and that thought was unbearable. And, supposing that by some big luck, she would arrive to the Golden Cave safely… what would the pride think? What would Sparthi and Kira think? What would her father think?

"I have to run away." thought Zira. "I love you, mom… I'm sorry that this happened…"

And she started running with all her speed on the river's direction, without looking behind, while her tears fell on the hot sand, drying almost instantly. She ran fueled by… fear?

"I can't ever return here." thought Zira, while she kept her furious run.

After some time running, she arrived to a cliff… and, on the bottom of the cliff, was a river. She didn't know what to think. The only way… was to cross it… or… to jump into it?

"Well… it looks like the only way is jump into it."

And Zira jumped into the raging water.

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Scar sat at the edge of the cliff, looking into the river, while thinking about… about what, exactly? During one month, he would have nothing to think about, except feeding three hungry hyena pups. Maybe… about his pride? What would happen without him? Would he survive alone for a month? He could hunt quite well, amazingly, considering that he is just a cub, but he still depended a little bit from his pride to eat.

"One day… Mufasa…" thought Scar, looking to the river, making an angry stare for an unseen watcher. "One day… you will be sorry for what you have done… I never hoped that would do that to me… to your own brother… I never hoped to hear you saying…"

"HELP ME!" shouted a voice.

"Help me!" thought Scar. "No, that's not what I was going to say! By the way, who shouted "Help me"?"

"HELP ME!" shouted the voice again.

Scar looked down, to the raging river, and saw… a cub! A cub, that should have the same age that him, was drowning! What could Scar do? Nothing… no… there was one thing that he could do.

"Hold on!" shouted Scar, jumping into the raging water.

The shock was big for the brown cub. The water was quite cold, and even faster. Scar couldn't swim against the current. His only chance was to grab to a rock, and wait for the cub to pass through him… no… there was another way…

Scar took the deepest breath that he could, and dived, hoping that the current would be slower underwater. And in fact, it was, but there was another problem. Scar was a cub, he couldn't hold his breath for too long… and mainly, the cold water burned his wound, opening it again…

"Uh… life's not fair… the Circle of Life is not fair." thought Scar. "But I won't let it crush me!"

And so, after various moves, Scar managed to reach the other cub. He grabbed her, and, for once, the cub stopped splashing.

"What are you doing?" panted the cub.

"Isn't it obvious?" replied Scar, in the same panting voice. "Saving you! Now, you are going to do as I say! Hold your breath as long as you can, and dive, to swim to that bank! Current is slower underwater! Understand?"

The cub barely had enough breath to speak, so she only nodded. The cub and Scar held their breath, and dived, swimming underwater to the bank of the river. They had to come up several times, but, after an incredible effort, they managed to arrive on the bank, panting, and completely exhausted. The cub was the first to speak.

"Uh… thank you." said the cub. "For saving me. What's your name?"

"Scar." replied Scar, getting up. "And yours?"

"Zira." replied the cub.

"It means "hate"." thought Scar. "Looks like she's unwanted by her family as well."

But he only added loud: "Pleased to meet you, Zira."

"Same for me, Scar." replied Zira.

She got up, and Scar got up as well.

"Wow, he's cute!" thought Zira.

"Now… Zira…" said Scar. "I can't take you to my pride… they kicked me out for a month…"

"For a month?" thought Zira. "If mine knew what I did, they would kick me out forever! Or even kill me."

She only added loud: "Mine kicked me out as well. Forever."

"Well…" said Scar, feeling some sadness for Zira. "I can only take you to my friends. But be warned of one thing. They are hyena pups."

"Hyena pups?" asked Zira**, **confused. "Why did you make friends with them?"

"I'll tell you during the way." said Scar.

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"So…" replied Zira, after hearing Scar's story. "You came here with your brother, you found the hyena pups, and then you, all on your own, learnt to hunt for them? A cub like you can hunt? And why did you care for them?"

She and Scar knew each other only for an hour or two, but Zira already admired the mahogany-furred cub. She wasn't exactly in love with him, after all she was only a cub of six months, which seemed Scar's age as well, but he could do awesome things. And besides, he was very brave and wise. Why such a wise and kind cub had been kicked out from his pride? Even if only for a month?

A month! For a lone cub, even for a group of cubs, a month was almost like a year. Most of the cubs can't hunt well enough to trust on their hunting abilities when it comes to hunt their own. And besides, there were many predators that could hunt down a lion cub for a snack.

But Zira trusted Scar in that part. He could be a cub, but he seemed as independent as any adult lion. And besides, it was unlikely that any predator would come to such a scary place that the Elephant Graveyard was. When Zira saw it first, she got a little bit scared by seeing so many bones of elephants. Zira had never seen a living elephant. The biggest animals that she had ever seen on the Desert Lands were dromedaries. Well, there existed some desert elephants there, like she, Sparthi and Kira had found when they saw a skeleton, but they never saw so much skeletons.

Zira came back to reality when she heard Scar's answer.

"Was it fair to let them die?" asked Scar. "I know sparing hyenas and feeding them is against the Circle of Life, but is the correct way."

Then, Scar turned his head to the top of the cliff, and he called: "Shenzi! Banzai! Ed!"

The triplets came out of the cave, and ran to Scar.

"Good to see you're back, Scar." said Shenzi.

Ed laughed.

But Banzai saw Zira, half-hiding behind Scar. He turned to Zira, and asked: "Uh… Scar, who is your new friend?

"You told us that you would keep us in secret!" shouted Shenzi to Scar, feeling somewhere between angry, happy, and worried.

Scar said: "This is Zira. She is a new friend of mine, I met her around an hour ago. She was kicked out from her pride."

Zira seemed a little bit guilty, but it was… well, part-truth. As long she didn't tell anything, no one would ever know of her terrible crime.

"So, she is an outcast, like us?" asked Banzai, smiling at Zira. "Nice to meet you."

"Well… same for me." said Shenzi.

Ed simply laughed, while some drool came out from his mouth. Zira was a little bit scared by Ed's laughter. Scar nuzzled her (eventhough he felt a little uncomfortable with that) in an attempt to calm her down, and said: "Don't worry. Ed only laughs. He likes to pretend that he is stupid."

Zira stepped back a little bit, and smiled at Scar. Scar felt himself a little bit… weird.

"Wow!" thought Scar. "She is cute!"

But he recovered, and only added loud. "Come with me, Zira. I need your help. If we want to survive for one month, you'll have to learn how to hunt and fight. I'll teach you some things."

Scar and Zira left the Elephant Graveyard, while the triplets watched them.

"I don't like this." said Shenzi, worried.

"Yeah…" said Banzai, narrowing his eyes. "If Scar keeps being so good friend of her, he'll forget about us."

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"So…" said Scar, looking at Zira with amaze. "You caused the rockslide that hit your mother? And killed her?"

"Yes…" admitted Zira, lowering her head, with tears coming out of her eyes…

"And you… ran away from home because of that?" asked Scar.

Zira couldn't believe that Scar was tormenting her with those questions, after she had told the story so well.

"We have been together for five years, and you didn't tell me?" asked Scar.

Zira was unable to speak, she only cried. She knew perfectly what Scar's reaction would be… he would say that he didn't think that she would so such a thing, that she was a murderer… that he would never love her again… that he felt cursed for having a cub with such a lioness…

Scar walked towards her... and hugged her! Zira couldn't believe that. She heard Scar whispering in her ear: "You should be passing through a hell, having that inside you and not telling it to anyone. Zira… it was an accident. You didn't kill your mother."

"What?" asked Zira, with her voice about to break. "You still love me?"

/"Drop the shadows" song. Try to imagine some serious and at the same time a little bit romantic tune, appropriate to verses. Capture of Scar, and Zira still hugging each other. Shortly ater, they separate from their hug, and Zira lowers her head – maybe in sadness or in shame – but Scar lifts her head gently with his paw, and makes her to look in his eyes./

First verse: Scar

_I can't even think about_

_Leaving you here all alone_

/Camera changes to Zira's paws, and we notice that she put them on the space between a stone and the ground, but then, Scar's paw appears from off-screen, and removes the stone from Zira's paw./

_If you need relief at once_

_I would carry up your stone_

/Camera changes again to Zira, and we see that she is about to collapse, almost as if the guilt makes her too heavy for her paws. But Scar supports her quickly, and she seems to stand more easily./

_I will share your burdens too_

_I love also scars in you_

/Zira finally stands up, but she looks backwards, still with a somewhat fearful expression. But Scar – gently, yet firmly - moves her head with his paw, and then, he goes to her side, so that both are looking forward. The camera sees the sun "behind" them, so we see them both in the shade./

_What had past is just a past_

_See the future and us there_

_In spite of old sores, let's trust_

_There'll be much more joys to share_

/Camera changes it's position to the other side, as Zira sits down again, and Scar begins stroking her belly. Both smile, when they are thinking on something – supposely their unborn cub. Because the sun is "behind" the camera, both Scar and Zira are more "illuminated"./

_I don't want to see you cry_

_If we could share a common smile _

/Scar is still stroking Zira's belly tenderly, but a cloud is beginning to cover the sun, and seems to slowly put a shade over Scar and Zira./

Chorus: Scar

_I will love you from now on_

_With the deepest love I feel_

/The cloud now covers completely the sun, and, is if intimidated by it, Zira shows slightly fearful, but Scar hugs her to comfort her, and, surprisingly, at the same time, the cloud is pushed by the wind, so that the sun slowly returns./

_Drop the shadows – they're bygone_

_Step into the day that's near_

/Scar gets up, and begins walking to a place still more illuminated by the sunlight, and Zira follows him without hesitation, eventhough her belly from advanced pregnancy slows her down a bit./

_Keep my pace that everlasts_

_There's no time to stay in the past_

/The background behind Scar and Zira slowly changes, and when it finally returns to normal, we see that they are both sitting down, on the place on the Elephant Graveyard where they met. They are sitting on one of the lower ledges, so they are only some centimetres over the flowing river. Capture changes to Zira's face. She's resting her head in Scar's neck, but she looks at the river with a rather calm expression, eventhough some hints of fear are still on her eyes./

Second verse: Zira

_I was scared of a long dead scene_

_That kept me out of my breath_

/Zira looks at the river, but as she feels Scar's paw over her shoulders, she moves her head to nuzzle him./

_But now I can drop this scheme_

_And walk with you on this path_

/Both Scar and Zira get up, and begin walking along the river bank, with Scar leading the way./

_Some things can't be changed at all_

_Could be simply made up for_

/Scar and Zira stop again, on a place where there are several scratches on the rock, seemingly of marks made by lion cubs. Both look at them as their eyes seem to recall something./

_I don't want to forget things_

_But just let the time to heal me_

/Zira hugs Scar very tightly, and Scar retributes, but as Scar is looking at Zira, the lioness's eyes are still looking at the river./

_All I care is what it brings_

_And how it finally set me free_

/Finally, Zira stops looking at the river, and finally looks at Scar as well, nestling into his mane. Scar hugs her gently, as if he is trying to comfort her, and we can see a smile on Zira's face, eventhough some tears - from both sadness and joy – fall from her eyes./

_It gave me You on my side_

_The best comfort I could find_

/Scar and Zira stop the hug, and Scar looks at Zira's belly tenderly again. Zira gives a small jump in surprise, as if the cub inside her has moved. Then, both Scar and Zira hug each other again./

Chorus: Scar and Zira

_I will love you from now on_

_With the deepest love I feel_

/Zira puts her paw in the water, and then, she splashes some at Scar with a playful expression. Scar does the same, and both set off running./

_Drop the shadows, they're bygone_

_Step into the day that's near_

/Scar and Zira are still running. Zira is in the lead, but Scar is only shortly behind./

_Keep our pace that everlasts_

_There's no time to stay in the past_

/Zira finally stops, panting heavily, as her pregnancy rather slows her down. Scar hugs her, and she smiles happily. A slow zoom out, and we see more of the area around them. Song finishes./

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_Well... I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review please! I still need more opinions._


	14. Chapter 13: Wings of leafs

_Well, here it is a new chapter. Inkosi (male) and Udhika (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 13 – Wings of leafs**

As time passed on, Simba was a lot busy with the birds. The birds were growing up, and, as they grew, Simba had to feed them with more and more worms. This quite disgusted him, because, even with the fact of having to put a lot of worms in his mouth everyday, he still thought that the worms were extremely disgusting. One day, he took Nala to meet the babies. When Simba started to feed the first bird, the bird beaked Simba's nose, as always, but the birds seemed to be careful, and they didn't make blood.

Nala laughed when the bird beaked Simba's nose.

"Shut up, Nala." said Simba, with his mouth half-closed, trying not to release the worm. "I didn't bring you up here so you could laugh at me."

"Sorry." said Nala**,** while laughing. "It's so funny when they kiss you."

"Kiss me?" thought Simba, annoyed. "I have beaks in my nose everyday, and Nala says that they are kissing me? They are trying to eat me instead of the worm."

For a moment, Simba considered the thought of asking to Nala to feed the birds a little bit instead of him, but he refused to even ask her. She was his best friend, he wouldn't ask her to put a thing as disgusting as worms in her mouth. Besides, Zazu had told him that the baby birds only accept to be fed by their mother, on, in some cases, by both parents. But Nala wasn't there when the birds were born, so they didn't consider her as one of their parents.

As time passed, all the other cubs of the pride went to meet the birds. Sena and Hiari also laughed when the birds beaked Simba's nose. Chumvi and Kula thought that Simba needs to be extremely patient to tolerate the beaks of the birds. Tibuka and Chafua thought that the birds were really cute. Koza and Kianga thought that Simba had to be very brave to put worms in his mouth.

The only cub that couldn't go up and meet the birds is Tojo. His leg was still sprained, and he had to rest during all day, at the shade of a tree, without doing anything. Now, Kilia and Kula were visiting him regularly, but not even the visits could cheer Tojo up, because he couldn't walk at the same way. And besides, Kula and Kilia's visits were becoming quite unpleasant to the recovering cub. Not that they were rude to Tojo, but they always looked on each other with such an angry stare. Normally, the female cubs ended up discussing who was "Tojo's owner" if Kilia or Kula. Those talkings annoyed Tojo, and made him feel even worst. One day, around two weeks after the birth of the birds, Simba went to visit Tojo after returning from feeding the young birds, Simba and Nala went to visit Tojo, and found him really sad, lying under his typical tree. They approached to see him, and, after coming closer, realized that Tojo was very sad.

"Uh… Tojo" said Simba, hesitating a little bit. "May we speak with you?"

"Don't be sad." said Nala, feeling a little bit sad for Tojo.

Tojo looked at them, and said: "Alright… what do you want?"

Simba looked at Tojo, and said: "I want to know why you are so sad."

"Uh…" said Tojo.

That was a sad question. But he would answer it: "It's because of…"

"Kilia and Kula, right?" asked Nala, trying to be comprehensive, but going straight to the matter.

Tojo looked sadly at Nala, and said: "Yes… that's right."

"What's the big deal?" asked Simba, without understanding. "You have two girls that like you. I can't see what's the problem."

Tojo looked at him angrily, and Nala as well. Then, Simba understood the real problem, and said: "Oh… I see. Both Kula and Kilia have a crush on you, but you only have a crush on one of them, and you don't know how to tell it to the other."

"Yes…" said Tojo.

"By the way, who is the one?" asked Nala.

But on the next moment she realized that question was a wrong question.Tojo looked at her in a quite angry way. But then he calmed down and said slowly: "It's Kula."

"What?" asked one voice.

They all looked behind, and saw Chumvi coming close. He had heard it since the time when Nala asked who was Tojo's crush, and also heard the answer. It was his sister. His best friend was in love with his sister.

Tojo looked at the brown lion cub. He only hoped that Chumvi wouldn't be one of those protective big brothers. Fortunately for Tojo, he didn't seem to be, because he only asked: "Should I tell that to Kula?"

"No, please!" begged Tojo. " If Kula knows, she will torment Kilia a lot!"

Tojo didn't have a crush on Kilia, but he liked her, and he had been her friend since the moment they had known. Kilia was also pretty, he couldn't deny it, but he only had a crush on Kula. And he didn't know how to admit that without hurting Kilia's feelings too much.

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"Mom, that Kilia really gets on my nerves!" said Kula to Wingu, on the cave of Pride Rock, low enough for only her mother to listen that.

Kula was lying on Wingu's paws, as well as Kilia was lying on Uzuri's paws, on another part of the cave. They were speaking with the adult lionesses, but from time to time they gave an angry look to each other. Not even one of the lionesses understood why the hatred. Kilia had done nothing bad to Kula, and Kula also did nothing bad to Kilia, but they seemed to really hate each other. Wingu would try to put the question clear, because this was the first time since Kilia's acceptance into the pride, that she had spoken with her about that matter.

"Why Kilia gets on your nerves?" asked Wingu calmly. "She is a nice girl."

"She is pretending!" said Kula. She almost shouted, but she repressed the shout right on time, and only whispered.

"Kula…" whispered Wingu calmly. "Why don't you have a snack? Since the day when Kilia came here, you have barely eaten. Eat something. You will calm yourself down."

Wingu grabbed a big piece of meat, and gave it to Kula. Kula who had barely eaten that day, began devouring it at an amazing speed. Kilia noticed that, and said, to no one in particular, but in a way that Kula could hear.

"Kula really has a big appetite!" said Kilia, in a mocking voice. "Watch out, fat Kula! If you eat that much, you will become a hippopotamus!"

That's it. It was too much for Kula to stand. Kula was a calm lioness, she rarely got any discussion with any member of the pride. The only thing for which she got a discussion sometimes (and even that was very rare, because Kula had education), was when food wasn't enough for her appetite. But that was too much for her to stand. And besides, it was an untrue insult. Kula had a big appetite, but she was a perfectly normal cub, not too big, and not too small.

"Who does she think she is to tell me that?" thought Kula, staring angrily at Kilia. "She comes to this pride, tries to steal MY Tojo, and now she insults me! I'll show her."

Kula spat the piece of meat that she was swallowing, and went towards Kilia, preparing to tell her some thruths. Kilia looked at her, somewhat fun. But, suddenly, Kula felt a paw stepping on her tail. She looked behind, and only had time to see that her mom had stepped on her tail, before Wingu picked her by the scruff.

"Let me at her!" shouted Kula, trying to release herself from Wingu's mouth. "Let me at her!"

"You're too fat to move with…" began to say Kilia, but, right before she could complete the insult, Uzuri gave Kilia a smack. A quite weak one, but strong enough for she to release some tears.

"What was that for?" asked Kilia, almost crying.

"Kilia…" replied Uzuri, looking calmly in Kilia's eyes. "Why are you insulting Kula? She did nothing wrong to you, or you to her."

"She did!" shouted Kilia.

"I did not!" shouted Kula, from her mother's mouth. "You did!"

At that moment, they heard the sound of a throat being cleared. They looked to the cave's entrance, and saw Jani, arriving with Tojo, and Mega, coming behind his daughter. Simba, Nala, and Chumvi are behind her. Jani went with Tojo to their part of the cave and Mega went to the two lionesses and their cubs.

"What is happening here?" asked Mega calmly.

They all stopped, and Kula and Kilia felt a little bit ashamed by looking at the old lion. Mega looked at them, and said: "Well, it seems that nothing is wrong. So, how about if you go to your respective parts of the cave, and sleep?"

The lionesses and the cubs didn't waste any time in accepting Mega's suggestion. Wingu took Kula to her part of the cave, and Kilia fell asleep in Uzuri's paws. Chumvi followed his mother, and Simba and Nala went to their mothers, who were talking. Moyo, Sabini, Hiari, Leo, Penda, and Safura were also in the talking group.

"Look who's back!" said Leo, looking at the cubs. "The prince, and my dear niece! Funny, it rhymed!"

"Very funny, Leo." said Sarafina.

"Mom…" said Nala. "Can we hear a bed-time story?"

"A bed-time story?" asked Sarafina. "Why not? Which one of them do you want to hear?"

"Will you tell a story, Dad?" asked Sena, going to the group. Fani joined her.

"Yes…" said Leo. "We will. Right, mom?"

"Right." said Safura. "Now, I will tell you the story…"

"We can tell them the story of how you joined this pride." said Mufasa, who had just arrived.

His sudden arrival startled the small group, but it was the theme suggested by Mufasa who scared the most.

"That is not a happy story." said Sabini.

However, Simba, Nala, Hiari, and Sena didn't have the same opinion. They all wanted to hear the story. And Moyo also:

"That's right." said Moyo. "You never told me what happened after the war with those lions, when you came to the Pride Lands."

They ended up insisting so much, that Penda said: "Oh… alright. We will tell the story."

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"Mom!" called a young cub Sarabi, who was being carried on her mother's back. "Will we ever arrive to a new home?"

Penda couldn't answer. She was carrying Sarabi's younger sister, Sabini, by the scruff, while she and her friend Safura, who carried her two cubs, Leo and Sarafina, walked with fast steps.

They were survivors, and their wounds shown that. Three days before, they used to live in a small pride. Penda was the queen, mate of King Inkosi, and Safura was her best friend. Sarabi was the princess, destined to be queen one day. But it all turned wrongly. A pack of aggressive rogue lions came, trying to take over the pride by strenght.

The pride fought back, but it was quite useless. The war with the rogues claimed the life of the king, and of almost all the other members of the pride. Safura, Penda, and the cubs seemed the only survivors of the war. Yes, the only. Because, like it is said, crime doesn't pay. Most of the rogues died, and only one survived… but even that one got so seriously injured that he most likely died as well.

But Penda and Safura didn't want to risk. They caught their cubs (fortunately, almost the only cubs of the pride), and left the kingdom, hoping that a new pride would accept them. Sarafina, Safura's youngest cub, wasn't happy with that, because leaving implied to leave her best friend, Moyo, a male cub from the pride. Close to the end of the war with the rogues, his mother, Udhika, badly injured, made a last attempt to save her son, and ran away with him. Sarafina said that they should try to find Udhika, but there was no time for that. It was the sad truth. Most of the pride died, and the few survivors would never see each other again.

After some wandering, Penda, Safura, and the cubs had arrived to a fertile savannah, that seemed quite hospitable for them to live. But such a hospitable land shouldn't be unoccupied. There should be a pride living there. Their only hope was to ask for mercy to the pride.

The two injured lionesses decided to stop under a tree to rest. They placed the cubs on the ground, and lied down in the acacia's shade. A female hornbill, who was flying above the area, saw the two lionesses with the four cubs, and flew away. The sleeping lionesses didn't notice her.

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"Sire!" said Zuzu, flying to meet Ahadi, on Pride Rock. "There are important news."

"What are the news, Zuzu?" asked Ahadi calmly.

Since the time when Scar had been exiled, which was about twelve days ago, Ahadi was less quick-tempered, and being quite a better king. In fact, Ahadi wasn't a bad king. His only problem was hating his second son.

"Two rogue lionesses entered the Pride Lands." said Zuzu. "They are resting under a tree somewhere over there."

"What is that?" asked Uru, who heard part of Zuzu's conversation with Ahadi.

"Two rogue lionesses in the Pride Lands, my queen." said Zuzu.

"I will deal with them." said Uru calmly.

"Uru, you can't!" said Ahadi, feeling nervous. "Rogue lionesses are dangerous. You can be killed! I will."

"That's not the rule, Ahadi." said Uru, looking on her mate's eyes. "The king deals with the rogue lions, the queen with the rogue lionesses."

"But they can kill you!" said Ahadi, worried.

"I think there is nothing to worry about that." said Zuzu. "Both lionesses are quite injured, and they are exhausted as well. They have four cubs."

"Then, I can assume that they are in danger." said Uru.

Then, she assumed the command: "Ahadi, call Mega, Uzuri, Mimea, and my mom to come with us. Zuzu, tell Rafiki to come here."

Ahadi obeyed his mate's request, and shortly after the six left Pride Rock, with Uru on the lead.

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Penda was so tired that she barely had enough energy to wake up when she heard the sound of lions approaching. She raised her head, and noticed the strangers who were approaching. She saw four lionesses, and two lions, who were coming close to them.

There were a brown lioness and a golden lion with black mane on the lead. They should be the king and queen of those lands.

"Safura." whispered Penda. "Wake up!"

Safura woke up slowly, got up in an even slower way because of the aching wounds, and looked.

"What will we do, Penda?" asked Safura, worried.

"I don't know." said Penda. "Let's just wait and see."

The brown lioness approached, bowed slightly, and said: "Greetings."

Penda and Safura replied bowing slightly. The lioness seemed to act like if she was a member of the royal family of the pride, so, Penda asked: "Could you please take us to the king and queen of these lands?"

"I'm the queen." said Uru. "My name is Uru."

"I'm the king." said Ahadi, approaching and bowing slightly. "My name's Ahadi."

Mega, Uzuri, Laini and Mimea also introduced themselves, bowing slightly. Penda and Safura also introduced themselves, and their cubs. Leo and Sarafina woke up, and Leo looked at the unfamiliar lions. He went to his mother.

"They are here to help us, mom?" asked Leo, curious.

"Yes." said Uru. "We will help you all."

Then, Mega prepared himself to carry Safura on his back, while Ahadi placed Penda on his back. Uru grabbed Leo by the scruff, Uzuri grabbed Sarafina, Laini grabbed Sarabi, and Mimea grabbed Sabini. The twelve lions and lionesses returned to Pride Rock.

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"Well then, after that, we were introduced to Rafiki, he healed our wounds with one of his strange medicines, and we joined to this pride." said Penda.

"Whoa…" replied Simba. "That was amazing! Grandpa and grandma were really kind."

"That they were." said Safura.

"And now no more questions, Nala!" said Moyo to his daughter. "Go to sleep."

Nala yawned, and lied down on her mother's paws. Simba also yawned, and lied down on Sarabi's paws. Before falling asleep, he heard Sarabi saying: "Sleep well, my dear. Remember that you must take care of those birds."

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Three weeks after the birth of the birds, when the birds already had half of Simba's size, the birds managed to come out of the nest, and they followed Simba.

"They're following me!" said Simba when he saw that. "Stay in the nest!"

"They've learned to run!" said Zazu. "Praise them, Simba! Be a good mother!"

And so, Simba took the birds in front of the pride, because the adult lionesses and lions hadn't managed to meet the birds, since they were too big to go to the top of the mountain.

"They're really cute." said Uzuri.

"And big!" said Moyo.

"It seems that Simba is a good mother for the birds." said Sarafina.

"He'll make a great kind someday." said Sarabi.

At that comment, Scar growled, and went away. Zira soon followed him.

"I really can't understand these two." said Sarabi.

"You wouldn't want to understand." said Mega.

At that moment, Tojo was lying down, seeing the birds.

"Look how cute they are, Tojo." said Kula, who was lying down at Tojo's side.

"They may be, but what I want is to walk! And because of my sprained leg, I can't!" said Tojo.

"Don't be so sad, Tojo." said Kula. "Your leg is going to be healed soon."

"Not thanks to you!" said Kilia.

"Shut up!" said Tojo. "I can't hear you anymore!"

Simba heard what Tojo said, and walked to him.

"Listen, Tojo…" said Simba. "I'm going to teach the birds how to fly. Do you want to come and see it?"

Tojo looked at his mother, who said:

"You may go, Tojo. Anyway, your leg is getting better."

And so, Tojo went to a good position to see the birds flying. Simba went to the top of a rock, and said:

"Can you help me, Nala? We have to get the kids up on the rocks so they can see."

"Of course!" said Nala. "Come here, little ones. I bet you're looking forward to see your mommy flying!"

Meanwhile, Tojo was speaking with Zazu. No one could hear what they said, but after the talk, Zazu went flying.

On the top of the rock, Simba leaped off the rock, shaking his front paws. He crashed onto the ground. The birds tried to imitate Simba, despite Nala's shout of "Stop! Don't do like Simba.". They tried to shake their legs, and crashed onto the ground. Simba tried to repeat, but he and the birds always ended up crashing onto the ground. Finally, at the third time, Tojo said, between laughs: "It's not too bad for the first three attempts, but why don't you make some wings of branches or something?"

Simba stayed a little bit bored, but Nala said:

"Great idea, Tojo."

After Simba's boring passed, he said:

"But how will we make wings of branches? We haven't fingers to hold the branches."

"About that…" said Zazu. "… the problem is solved."

Zazu landed, and said:

"Tojo asked me to go to find Rafiki, and ask him to make wings of branches."

"You had a great idea, Tojo!" said Kula.

"But couldn't you have said that before my three crashes onto the ground?" asked Simba.

"Sorry, Simba." said Tojo. "I don't want us to stop being friends because of that."

"And we won't." said Simba. "Don't worry."

Some time later, Rafiki came back with the wings made of branches and leafs, and asked:

"Who's going to use them?"

"I will!" said Tojo.

"Are you sure, Tojo?" asked Sena. "You may get hurt!"

"I'm sure." said Tojo.

And so, Tojo, using the "wings", went up to the rock, jumped, flapped the wings, and he managed to land somewhat safely.

The birds followed him, and this time they managed to fly a little.

"I've seen better landings, but I think that for a lion, it's not that bad!" said Tojo.

"Your idea was great, Tojo!" said Mufasa. "You make a good bird-dad!"

"These birds are really cute." said Tojo.

"You're the bird-dad and I'm the bird-mom." said Simba. "Could you take care of them while I'm going for a long walk with my dad?"

"Yes, I'll take care of them, Simba." said Tojo.

After all, Tojo thought that taking care of the birds was fun. He had nothing better to do until his leg was completely healed.

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Some days later, Simba came back from the long walk with his father, and asked Nala how Tojo and the birds were doing.

"They're doing just great." said Nala. "Tojo's leg is healed, the birds can fly well now, and look! Tojo and the birds are doing the bird-dance!"

Simba burst in laugh, and Mufasa said:

"Tojo, now you know why the Great Spirit wanted you to stay home."

"You may be proud of him, Jani." said Alama.

"And I am." said Jani.

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review! I still need more opinions!_


	15. Chapter 14: A story of four lions

_Well... here we are again. Dhalimu (male) and Ananias (male) are copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use them. Afriti (male), Ushindi (male), Utadi (male), Onevu (male), Ngovi (male), Jefule (male), Harabu (male), and Adia (female), are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 14 – A story of four lions**

Timon got up from his grass-made bed, as the sun entered the cave where he and Pumbaa slept, and one sunlight beam hit him directly in the eyes. For a moment, Timon tried to ignore the light, and turn around to sleep a little bit more, but he couldn't turn anywhere without the light coming to his eyes.

So, the meerkat got up slowly, yawned, and came out of his huge bed. He turned around to see Pumbaa, but Pumbaa wasn't there. Probably, he had already got up, and was somewhere outside the cave.

Timon came out, and, after looking around a little bit, he saw his warthog friend… acquaintance drinking in the waterhole of their small paradise.

"Funny." said Timon to himself. "For once, I thought about "our" not "mine". Well, let's just drink it."

Timon went to Pumbaa, and said, while lowering his head to drink: "Hey there, Pumbaa."

"Good morning, Timon!" said Pumbaa, lifting his head from the waterhole temporarially.

They drank quietly, and then Timon said: "What's for breakfast today, big fella?"

Pumbaa turned around, and saw, somewhere at the distance, a stone. Normally, he looked for bugs under fallen trunks, but sometimes he also looked under stones. This would be one of those times. The warthog pushed the stone with all the strenght he had, and, after pushing it, he saw some millipeds under the stones. Timon went to meet him, and both insectivores started to feast.

But suddenly, Pumbaa got up, and said: "You know, Timon… I have been thinking. The Pride Lands bugs aren't bad at all, but I know some really good snack. It's the termites from the Outlands. What if we go there?"

"Enough talking, Pumbaa." said Timon. "I have been thinking in this. The Pride Lands bugs aren't bad at all, but there is a really good snack. The termites from the Outlands. What if we go there?"

"Hmm?" asked Pumbaa, more to himself then to Timon.

Then, he added to Timon: "Sounds good!"

"I'll lead the way, big fella!" said Timon, turning to the Outlands. Then, he said: "Uh… Pumbaa, do you know the way to the Outlands?"

"Yeah, sure!" said Pumbaa.

"Then, you'll lead the way!" said Timon, jumping on Pumbaa's back, and lying down on the warthog's head. "Tell me when we get there!"

Pumbaa began walking to the Outlands with a big smile on his face. Timon was the only creature in the world that was his friend… acquaintance. But even an acquaintance is better than nothing. And, in the Outlands… in the Outlands he could visit Bovu and Shimo. It should be good to see them again.

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"Uh… Pumbaa." said Timon, after some hours of walking, when they already had arrived to the Outlands, and there were termite mounds everywhere. "Don't you think there must be some of these termite mounds with enough bugs to satisfy our appetites?"

"Probably yes." said Pumbaa, still walking. "But I'm looking for some friends of mine that live near here."

"Friends of yours?" thought Timon. "You never told me that you had friends around here. But that doesn't really care. I also have friends here."

But the meerkat only added loud: "By the way, I also have friends here. I can visit them as well."

But, suddenly, Timon and Pumbaa heard a cubbish voice calling both their names. They both knew that voice well. The meerkat and the warthog turned around, and saw, on the top of a termite mound, a lion cub with grey fur, a black tuft on the head, and blue eyes. His name was Shimo.

"Hi there!" said Shimo happily, descending the termite mound. "I never knew that you knew each other!"

"Where do you know him?" asked Timon and Pumbaa to each other at the same time.

Then, Timon thought deeply, and remembered… when he had arrived first on the Outlands, he saw Pumbaa running away from a huge male lion, who he later knew to be Bovu, Shimo's father.

Pumbaa… well, he just remembered Shimo and Bovu, and assumed that Timon should know them, or at least Shimo, as well. Shimo seemed happy by seeing them.

"Shimo!" called a strong voice. "What are you doing here? I told you for not to go away of the cave!"

Shimo and the two friends turned around, and saw a big lion, with dark-grey fur, black mane, and even darker eyes, walking towards them. He was dragging an eland antelope, recently hunted by himself. Then, he noticed the meerkat and the warthog.

"Hello, Pumbaa." said Bovu cordially, dropping the eland antelope. "Hello, Timon."

"Hello, Bovu." replied Timon and Pumbaa almost at the same time.

Bovu lowered his head to grab the eland antelope, carried it to Shimo, and said: "Lunch, son."

He turned to Timon and Pumbaa, and asked: "Do you want as well?"

"Uh… no." said Timon hesitantly.

"No, thanks." said Pumbaa. "You know, we're only bug eaters."

"Alright…" said Bovu. "But stay with us for some time. It's good to have some company."

Bovu and Shimo ate the eland antelope, while Timon and Pumbaa looked for some bugs around that place. Soon, the four finished their food, and then Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, and said: "Now, big fella, the termites for dessert! The reason why we're here!"

"Alright." said Pumbaa. "Goodbye, Bovu, goodbye, Shimo!"

Pumbaa started to turn around, but he and Timon had enough time to hear Bovu and Shimo's talking before the warthog started walking.

"Now dad, is that our meal for tomorrow?" asked the cub hopefully.

"No, Shimo." replied Bovu, with some sadness in his voice. "It will be filled with termites before we can eat him."

"It's not fair!" replied Shimo. "Why do we have to live in the Outlands?"

Pumbaa turned around, and said: "Hey, Bovu, Shimo is right. You should leave. This place is kind of barren, you know that? It isn't too worthy to live here."

Bovu looked at Pumbaa, and shouted, furious: "Hey, I know that, warthog!"

"Then, why do you live here?" asked Timon, without understanding why the lion who had deep consciousness of the land's state, lived there.

"That's my own business." replied Bovu, in a calmer voice.

"He's right." said Timon, grabbing Pumbaa's ears. "It's his own business. Not ours. Let's go, Pumbaa. There are termites with our names written on waiting for us!"

"Yeah!" replied Pumbaa happily, licking his suine lips.

And so, Timon and Pumbaa turned around, going away, somewhere into the Outlands, eating termites. When they were gone, Shimo turned to his father, and asked: "Now, father, that the importunates are gone, tell me, please, why do we have to live in the Outlands?"

"Alright…" said Bovu, sighing. "I will tell you."

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Meanwhile, on the Golden Sands, two-hundred kilometers northwest, a lone lion was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Cave, looking at the desert, but not to see the landscape, or in fact, to see anything in particular. That lion had crimson-brown fur, black mane, and jade-green eyes. His name was Hanja. And, while looking to the golden sand with unseeing eyes, he was thinking.

Mainly thinking about his cousin, Bovu, but also about his older brothers, Jambazi and Nduli. There have been more than five years since his last news from them. About Bovu, he didn't know nothing of him since he left the pride with his parents, Kadhi and Abiria, and, about Jambazi and Nduli… no news from both of them since they left the pride.

"No, they didn't leave it!" shouted Hanja in thought. "They were exiled! All because of those rogues! If I would have them in front of me now, I would tell them some truths!"

But it was too late for that. All the seven rogues that made Jambazi and Nduli to change were dead, killed by the pride. The only bad part was that his parents had to die. But Rama was a good adoptive mother to him, and he grew up healthy and strong.

Hanja came back to realitly when he felt something tugging on his ear. It didn't take him too much time to figure out what it was.

"Adia, my dear." said Hanja, while lying down "Could you please release my ear?"

"Alright, dad." said a small female cub with silver coloured fur, and jade-green eyes.

But she made herself confortable on her father's mane, and asked, soon after: "What's troubling you, dad?"

"It's… you wouldn't want to know." said Hanja, without having any real will of telling his daughter what happened.

"I want to know." said Adia, smiling, and lying her head on her father's mane. "How can I help you to get happier if I don't know what's troubling you?"

Hanja finally resignated to tell the story. But before, he tried one last technique. He warned his daughter that it was a rather scary story. But to no avail. She wanted to hear in the same way.

"Alright." replied Hanja, sighing. "Here it goes."

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"You can't catch me!" shouted Jambazi, running through the sand, beside his twin-brother Nduli, while their younger brother Hanja and their cousin Bovu were chasing them, or, better to say, playing tag with them.

Jambazi and Nduli were two males around two years and a half old, both of them with crimson-brown fur, brown eyes, and a black growing mane. The only difference between them was that Jambazi's nose was slightly darker than Nduli's. They were the best friends in the world, and they were, in fact, identical twins.

That was rather funny, because their father Kizingo and their uncle Kadhi were also identical twins.

They also liked to play with their younger brother Hanja, and their cousin, Bovu. That day, the four lions were playing tag, running happily through the desert. Obviously, Hanja and Bovu had little, or no, chances of catching Jambazi and Nduli, who had way longer paws, and could run faster. But the moment of happiness didn't last.

While arriving to the top of a valley, Jambazi and Nduli saw something that rather displeased them. Better to say, scared them. Looking at the bottom of the valley, they saw a pack of seven rogue lions. And no one of them looked friendly. What were they doing? Well, they couldn't know. Their only hope was to alarm the pride. If they managed to tell about the rogue males in the area, the pride would surely defeat them. The rogues pack was big, but, because their pride had three adult males, they had good chances to win. Their only hope was for them to run away without being seem.

But, during the seconds that Jambazi and Nduli were staring at the rogue lions, Bovu and Hanja caught them. Bovu pounced on Jambazi, Hanja on Nduli, and Bovu said: "You're it!"

Because both Jambazi and Nduli were caught by surprise, they were pushed around a meter forward. And, right on that moment, the leader of the rogues, a particularly big and vicious looking male, looked around, and saw Jambazi and Nduli.

Jambazi and Nduli couldn't hear what the rogue said, but they saw perfectly that the rogue told something to his "pack mates", and, all of a sudden, all the seven rogues turned to the two young males and began trotting towards them.

Jambazi and Nduli didn't know what to do to stop the seven rogues. Bovu and Hanja saw them, and instantly they turned to the twins.

"What will we do, bro?" asked Hanja to Jambazi.

Jambazi and Nduli both turned their heads around, and then Nduli said: "Just… run away. Go home! We will stop them."

"Are you nuts?" asked Jambazi, without believing what his brother said.

"Think, Jambazi." replied Nduli. "Remember what dad taught us. We have an uphill advantage. If the rogues become too aggressive, we can always push them down the dune."

"It's a good idea!" said Jambazi, quite amazed at how his brother managed to think in such a hard moment.

But then, Jambazi had another idea, and said: "Hide behind that plant" Jambazi pointed to a plant that was quite far. He kept: "And you… Nduli, come with me. Let's pretend we don't know anything."

So, Hanja and Bovu hid behind the plant, while Jambazi and Nduli faced the seven rogues. The leader, a male with blood-red fur, darker mane, and eyes with the same colour of the fur, stopped, and, with a sign of his tail, made his followers to stop as well. Then, he looked at the twin-looking young males. They had an impavid expression, like if they were washed out from any emotions. But the leader said, trying to scare them:

"I can smell fear."

"But surely isn't coming from us!" said Nduli in a brave voice, although he was feeling scared.

"Sure it isn't!" said Jambazi.

Then, he tried to mock the rogues, and asked: "Maybe it is coming from you? You are too scared to fight us."

All the rogues, except the leader, were quite shocked by the comment, and one of them, with yellow fur, brown mane, and eyes from the same color of the fur, bared his teeth and prepared to jump to the twins, but the leader said: "Calm down, Onevu. Calm down, all of you."

And added quieter, in a way that only his rogues could hear: "For now."

Then, he turned to Jambazi and Nduli, and said: "It seems that I was wrong. I can't smell fear."

"Who are you?" growled Nduli.

"Oh… if you make so much question of being introduced… be it. I am Afriti, leader of this pack. These are my friends. Introduce yourselves, gentlemen."

A lion with sandy fur, grey mane, and eyes of the same colour, said: "I'm Harabu."

A lion with brown fur, yellow mane, and green eyes said: "I'm Utadi."

The lion with yellow fur, brown mane, and yellow eyes said: "I'm Onevu."

A lion with brown fur, dark-brown mane, and black eyes, said: "I'm Jefule."

A lion with brown fur, black mane, and yellow-green eyes said: "I'm Ushindi."

The last lion, with pale-grey fur, pale-brown mane, and brown eyes, said: "I'm Ngovi."

Jambazi and Nduli didn't know that, but the most commonly given name for a rogue pack like that one was "gerge". A gerge was a pack, normally formed by at least five rogues, who wandered from one land to another. Those rogue packs were normally the most violent and rude ones.

If a gerge found some interest on a land, normally it was right that the gerge would conquer it, killing or deposing the former king (or males) and taking their place. Normally, a gerge focuses on most interesting places to live that some place as unhospitable as the Desert Lands.

Jambazi and Nduli both knew that their land was quite unhospitable for most lions, and so, they wondered why the rogues were, or at least seemed, interested in conquering it.

Because they were twins, normally one of them guessed how the other would react to some point, and they, Jambazi said: "What are you…"

And Nduli concluded: "Doing here?"

All the rogues, including Afriti, seemed annoyed at the twins' talking, so the two young lions decided to change technique, and talking way. Either way, Afriti decided to answer, and he answered something unexpected.

"We are here to avenge someone…"

And, for the first time since the beginning of the talk, the leader's expresssion changed for calm and mocking to a complete hatred. Jambazi and Nduli could not help but shiver, and they had the impression that even the rogues shivered a little bit. But then, Afriti returned to his normal voice, and he said to Jambazi and Nduli: "Would you accept to help us?"

Jambazi and Nduli looked at eachother, and saw deep fear in each other's eyes. This was what they feared. That the rogues would ask them for help… and they had no way to refuse. If they refused, they would die… but what would be worst, to die, or to live, to help to plan someone's death… and to be outcasted so much that it would be better to die… well, for now, their only hope was to know more about the mission of the rogues.

Onevu then advanced, and said, in an impatient voice: "Help us, or we will kill you!"

But Afriti whiped Onevu on the face with his tail, and Utadi whispered to Onevu: "Shut up, you idiot! They can escape, and warn the pride."

Then, Afriti turned to the twins, and said: "We are here to depose a tyrant."

"A tyrant?" whispered Jambazi and Nduli to each other.

Then, Jambazi said: "Excuse us, we will talk in private for a moment…"

The rogues didn't come closer to them, but Afriti made a signal with his tail, and then all the seven rogues made a circle around them. They didn't come close enough to hear, but now it was completely impossible for the twins to escape.

"If we will help them to depose a tyrant, we might be doing something noble…" said Jambazi.

"But who are we to decide who is and who is not a tyrant?" asked Nduli.

"Well… on that case, we can also try to know more about the mission…" said Jambazi.

"I think it is really the best for now…" said Nduli.

So, they turned around to Afriti again, and Nduli asked: "Who is the tyrant that you want to depose?"

"Arista." replied Afriti without hesitation.

Jambazi and Nduli could not help but gulp from fear. Jefule and Harabu looked at them with a glimpse on their eyes that scared the poor twins. Ngovi said: "Already loosing your confidence? You're rather weak, you know that?"

That was it! They couldn't handle anymore. Both Jambazi and Nduli turned to Ngovi and pounced on him. Ngovi bented down, avoided the twins' attack, and, with one smack, Nduli was knocked out.

"Monster!" shouted Jambazi, pouncing on Ngovi again.

But the more experienced, bigger, and stronger rogue pounced on Jambazi, and pinned him to the ground with his massive weight. The young lion looked around, searching for help.

Nduli was waking up, but Ushindi hold him like Ngovi was holding Jambazi. Then, Afriti said: "Now that the young ones decided to stay, I have two things to tell them. If they shout too much, kill them."

Jambazi and Nduli gulped again in fear. And maybe also of shame. During all their lifes, they were said to be strong cubs, and it was said that they would be giant and strong males, but now… they had been defeated even before hitting the opponnent. And, when the twins stared at each other, both could see the shame and bitterness inside the other's eyes.

"Now…" said Afriti, with his face coming into hatred again. Then, he shouted: "Arista is a tyrant! Because of him, all my family is dead!"

"Arista is..." tried to say Nduli, both Ushindi smacked him, and Nduli fell to silence.

Jambazi and Nduli looked to each other's eyes again, and they thought that they were asking the same question inside their minds. Arista could really be such a tyrant to the point of killing the whole family of a lion? Would they become allies with the rogues and depose their own king? But… could the king really be a tyrant?

"Or are you too scared to help us?" asked Afriti, in his natural mocking voice. "You're too weak, coward, and fearful to help us…"

"WE HELP YOU!" shouted Jambazi and Nduli at the same time.

"Good…" said Afriti, making an evil smile. "That's what I wanted to hear… Now… just one more question before you can leave… How many adult males there are in your pride, besides Arista?"

"Only our father and our uncle Kadhi." said Jambazi, a little bit fearful. Then, he added: "No… there's also the queen's brother, Dhalimu. No one more."

Afriti thought for a second, and then said: "Alright. Find a way to make your uncle Kadhi to leave the pride. Come to report it to me, and we will advance with the plan after that.."

Jambazi and Nduli looked at each other, and then, Nduli asked: "Where can we meet you?"

"In the Red Rocks." replied Afriti. "Do you know where it is?"

The so-called Red Rocks were nothing really special, just some small rock formations, with the particular trace that were from a rust-red. Jambazi and Nduli knew the location of that place.

"We are settled there." said Afriti. "Go meet us there when you are ready. Ushindi, Ngovi, release them."

The rogues released the twins, who went away once they found themselves free. Bovu and Hanja ran to catch up with them.

"Mom… dad… bro…" whispered Afriti, looking at the sky. "Soon you will be avenged."

Onevu came close to Afriti, and then said: "What's your plan of conquering the pride?"

"Conquer the pride?" asked Afriti, surprised.

In fact, he probably would have to conquer a pride as soon as possible. He was getting old, he was fifteen years old, and, most likely, once his pack-mates found him a slower to the gerge, they would banish him and elect another leader.

But Afriti wasn't here to conquer that pride. Only to avenge his beloved mate and son.

"If we aren't here to conquer the pride..." asked Onevu, confused. "They why are we here?"

"That's nothing of your business!" said Afriti, exploding in rage.

But then, he calmed down a little bit, and said: "We are here to avenge my family. I already told you that."

"So… Arista killed them?" asked Jefule, thinking that he had guessed.

"Not Arista." replied Afriti. "Mjeuri, his grandfather."

"But…" said Ushindi, confused. "Arista did nothing! Why we have to kill him? It's not fair!"

"Who told you life was fair, my boy?" asked Afriti, trying to look calm, but his extended claws and narrowed eyes expressed the leader's real feelings.

Ushindi thought that the best thing to do was to remain silent.

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"I don't know what happened to Jambazi and Nduli after the incident with the rogues, because I heard nothing, but they started causing a lot of confusion inside the pride…they started bullying me, and I couldn't hang on. I ended leaving the pride with my parents." concluded Bovu to his son, with his voice about to break.

Bovu lowered his head, barely repressing tears… and he couldn't repress them after some time. Because of Jambazi and Nduli… no, because of those idiot rogues… he had lost everything. His pride… his father… his mother…

"Father…" said Shimo, hugging Bovu's paw, and starting to cry as well. "Don't be sad… we are already sad enough with mother's death… with Amini's death…"

"Don't speak about Amini!" shouted Bovu.

But then, Bovu started crying as well. The death of his second son and of his mate was too recent. He hadn't yet forgotten it.

"Dad…" said Shimo, a little bit hesitant. "What exactly happened after you left the pride?"

"Well…" said Bovu, after wiping off his tears. "That's another sad part…"

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"Well…" replied Adia, a little bit shocked by her father's story. "What happened after that?"

"After what?" asked Hanja, after wipping the tears of his wet eyes.

"After cousin Bovu went away with granduncle Kadhi and grandaunt Abiria." explained Adia, curious.

The story had scared her, she couldn't deny it. But she was also curious to know what had happened after Bovu's leaving. She was afraid, but was also curious.

Hanja thought about himself and also about his mate when they were young. They were also quite fearless and curious. Adia was just like both of them at that age. Hanja sighed, and then said:

"Well… it was rather sad…"

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"I wonder where Jambazi and Nduli are going…" said Arista, looking to the two teenager males, who went wandering into the desert.

"I don't know as well…" said Malkha, worried. "But… what happened to them? They were so kind… but one day, they returned, they seemed so angry at you… they started bullying their poor cousin… and now… they are going away?"

"I don't know…" said Arista. "This is rather weird. What if… we go see about them? What they are doing?"

"It may be a good idea…" said Malkha, thoughtful. "But who's gonna be in charge around here while we are gone? It may not take long, but it may take long as well."

Arista thought a little bit, and then said: "Why not your brother?"

"Dhalimu?" asked Malkha. "Well… I just don't know if he is around here…"

"Did you call me?" asked a voice behind them.

They turned around, and saw a lion with white fur, light-grey mane and blue eyes looking at them. The lion apologized: "Sorry, I was passing by and I couldn't help it… I heard what you are saying."

"No… it's alright…" said Malkha.

"No, it's not alright." interrupted Dhalimu sternly. "You stay right here. I go with Arista."

"No you don't." said Malkha, also sternly. "You're not king. This is monarch's duty."

"What if something wrong happens with you?" asked Dhalimu, worried.

"You're acting like if you were my older brother." said Malkha.

"I am your older brother!" said Dhalimu.

That was very true. Dhalimu was a year older than both Arista and Malkha, but, in a way, he had always acted as if he was mature. When he was a year old, and his sister was newborn, their father had been killed by a furious king, and they had been banished with their mother. Their mother died some time later, from a digestive infection, caught by eating too old carcasses. But Dhalimu and Malkha managed to survive, until Dhalimu was around four years old, and they were passing by the Golden Sands, when Malkha got seriously sick. He knew how to heal her illness… but taking care of both alone would be dangerous. However, Arista had discovered them, and convinced his father, Ananias, to let them join the pride. Eventually, Arista and Malkha became mates, and all of Dhalimu's problems got solved. But still, the whitefurred lion kept some of his overprotectiveness.

However, Malkha said: "You may be the older, but remember that I'm the queen. I say that you are the one who stay here."

"Alright!" snorted Dhalimu, sititng down, seemingly quite bored.

Meanwhile, Malkha and Arista began to follow Jambazi and Nduli's track from quite a big distance, for not to be seen by the twins.

Meanwhile, Rama looked at the leaving monarchs, and said to herself: "I have a bad feeling about this… Maybe I should follow them discretly."

And so, Rama left the Golden Cave, and followed her king and queen into the desert.

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"Sire!" shouted Kizingo, running to Arista, with his mate Ukame at his side. "I have terrible news!"

He and his mate had been hunting in the area, and, after noticing a very troubling fact, they decided that they should report it to the king. Luckily, they found both monarchs shortly after. And they seemed quite disposed to hear them.

"What are the news, Kizingo?" asked Arista, but without stopping. "Please keep walking, we are tracking someone…"

"Who?" asked Ukame.

"Your older sons." said Malkha.

"But… why?" asked Ukame, without understanding why her sons were being spied on.

"Well… we are trying to figure out why they are acting so strangely…" said Malkha, trying to say it in an easy way.

"In that case…" said Kizingo, after thinking a little bit. "... we will go with you."

"And… what's the extremely serious business that you wanted to talk?" asked Arista.

In that moment, Kizingo began talking, with a quite scared voice: "Well… Ukame and I were hunting, looking for a prey… and we found one! Wait…" he said, noticing that the king would interrupt him. "It was a dead one… A dromedary… had been killed by a lion… and it was no one from our pride."

"By a rogue?" asked Malkha, guessing the point. She didn't know that she was slightly wrong.

"Not one!" said Ukame, with a panicked look. "At least five, my lady! Or six… perhaps even seven!"

Arista couldn't help but feel a little bit scared at the statement of the sandy-fured brown-eyed lioness. Seven rogue lions in the domain were a serious threat. They could be beyond the defensive abilities of the pride. Well… if Kadhi and Abiria were still in the pride, perhaps they would have big chances of winning, but they left the pride around one day before. With one lioness less, and even more important, one lion less, the pride was reduced to three lions and ten lionesses. And Arista knew that fights with rogues were dangerous. Rogues seemed to don't fear death… and that made them to fight more violently. Arista tried to come up with the best plan that he could. Their only chance was to get Jambazi and Nduli… maybe they could be some help in the fight… and then search for the rogues.

It was a rather simple plan, and chances of the rogues finding them before they found the rogues were quite big. But they had to stick together. If they separated, the rogues would kill them.

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Arista, Malkha, Kizingo and Ukame followed Jambazi's and Nduli's tracks into the Red Rocks. It was a mistery what they were going to do there, because there was no prey and no water there. What could be done in that place?

They didn't take too long to find out. They entered the rocks, this time without following the tracks, because they knew well the way, and ignoring completely one of the most particular features of the rocks. On the center, there were big and high rocks, that, together, formed a ring with around thirty meters of diameter. And, around them, there were smaller, but more numerous, rocks, that formed another ring, and, from above, five rings formed by the rocks could be seen.

When the four lions came closer to the ring of the oxidated boulders that was in the middle, they saw Jambazi and Nduli speaking… with five rogues! Jambazi and Nduli were speaking with Afriti, Harabu, Jefule, Onevu, and Utadi.

Kizingo, Ukame, Arista and Malkha kept themselves as well hidden as they could behind the big rocks, and they heard the twins' talking with the leader of the rogues.

Jambazi said to Afriti: "Mission acomplished. Our uncle Kadhi is out of the pride. He left it yesterday, with our aunt and our cousin."

"Good…" replied Afriti. "Really good…"

Kizingo moved himself a little bit, but Ukame repressed him from acting.

"Calm down, my dear…" said Ukame. "They can't find us…"

"INTRUDERS!" shouted one voice from behind them.

The surprised lions looked, and saw two lions, Ushindi and Ngovi, behind them. The two rogues were returning from the hunt, and, when the experienced and careful lions entered the Red Rocks, they noticed four tracks that didn't belong to anyone of his pack mates, or Jambazi, or Nduli. After following it, they discovered the four Desertlanders.

Arista, Malkha, Ukame, and Kizingo looked to the others with fear. They had been discovered. Their only hope now was to fight. They shielded their backs using one of the rocks, in an attempt to make sure that the rogues wouldn't attack them by behind, but the rogues also didn't stay still.

Afriti turned and reacted instantly, even before he managed to see who the intruders were, or where they were.

"Immobilize them!" ordered redmaned.

Almost instantly, Jefule and Harabu grabbed Kizingo, Ushindi grabbed Ukame, Utadi and Onevu grabbed Arista, and Ngovi grabbed Malkha. It was rather hard to take the lions away from the shielding stones (all the rogues got some wounds in paws and in the face during the process) but, after they managed to do it, the hostages were trapped.

"Bring them to me!" shouted Afriti.

The rogues took the trapped lions to the center of the ring of crags, which was the hardest part of the process, because the hostages weren't still as well. The immobilized lions fought with all they had to release themselves, but the rogues were holding tight. Shortly after, they gave up. Only Malkha was consistently trying to release herself from Ngovi's grip, but, after another unsuccesful attemp, she kept still.

Meanwhile, Afriti looked at Arista, and said in an evil voice: "Well, well… if it isn't Mjeuri's grandson… how good to see you…"

"What do you want from me?" shouted Arista, but after shouting the rogues grabbed him even tighter.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Afriti. "To kill you!"

On that moment, Kizingo and Ukame turned their heads to Jambazi and Nduli, the only ones who were absolutely silent. Since the time when they saw their parents immobilized by the rogues, in deadly danger, they changed sides completely. Any feeling that they could have against Arista disappeared.

Even if the king was a tyrant. The only thing that cared was that their parents would be saved. But it was a quite weak option. They were two lions and two lionesses against seven lions. Jambazi and Nduli didn't count, because they felt like immobilised. They didn't move a single muscle with the disappointed looks of their parents, but they felt… incredibly bad…

"Why?" asked Ukame, with tears coming out of her eyes. "Why have you done this?"

"After everything that we have done for you!" shouted Kizingo. Male wasn't crying, but will of that didn't seem to miss as well.

"Oh… don't worry." said Afriti in a mocking voice. "They only want to help us to depose a tyrant…"

But the other rogues, concentrated on hearing the talking, forgot to keep their hostages in a solid grip. Seeing that, all the lions released themselves. Arista pounced on Afriti, with paws outstretched and full-extended claws, and red-fured lion pounced on the sandy-fured lion. The two carnivores collapsed in mid air, and started their fight. Arista delivered the first blow, and Afriti felt temporially dizzy, but soon he gave another blow, that Arista managed to avoid.

"No!" shouted the leader, when he saw Utadi and Onevu running to help him. "Leave him to me! Only me! Kill the others!"

With those words, Jambazi and Nduli suddenly reacted. Jambazi pounced on Jefule, and Nduli on Harabu, and this time, both managed to hit the target. The two rogues had been fighting Kizingo, who was in serious danger, fighting alone against two males, and was almost collapsing from the wounds that he had. He tried to shield his back using one of the big boulders, but, even managing to stop the rogues from attacking him by behind, he got serious wounds in the neck and in paws. The blackmaned desertlander didn't see his sons' attempt to protect him.

But the unexperienced males didn't grab the rogues for long. Jefule shook himself, and, when he felt Jambazi stopping to grab, he turned, and, with a single blow, left the young lion knocked out. Meanwhile, Harabu rolled to the front, and sent the male flying. Nduli landed heavily on the group, and Harabu knocked him out also in one single blow. The teeenagers were on the ground, trying desperately to get up.

"NO!" shouted Ukame, somehow managing to push Utadi and Onevu together, and trying to run to her sons, thinking that they were dead.

"Stay here!" shouted Ushindi, slasing her back right paw with his claws.

Ukame had been fighting three males at the same time: Ushindi, Utadi, and Onevu. It was a rather impossible fight. A lioness against three males hasn't the slightest chance. Like Kizingo, she had been trying to shield her back using one of the stones, making sure that she wasn't attacked by behind, but, against three lions, it was a rather poor consolation. Because she seemed completely helpless, the males had been playing with her, fighting with hidden claws, and even repressing strenght from the blows that they delivered to the lioness. But, after noticing that Ukame managed to push two males all by herself, Ushindi and the other two began fighting more seriously. And, even worst, when she tried to run to her sons, Ukame stopped shielding herself using the rock. Now, she was in serious trouble. Yet she fought with all the strenght she had.

Meanwhile, Malkha was fighting Ngovi, and, for a change, it was the lion who was having trouble. The queen was extremely skilled in fight. She wasn't shielding herself with any rock, but that wasn't too big problem, because she was winning the fight. Malkha pounced on the rogue, pushing him aside, and then she delivered extremely fast blows on the lion's shoulders and throat. The lion tried to avoid the lioness's blows, but the ones that he avoided were just by luck, and, if he didn't have a protective mane to make an attack on the throat harder, he would probably be dead.

But, shortly after, neither luck nor shielding mane saved Ngovi. A clear blow of Malkha's paw sheered his neck, and the queen's claws plunged deep into his flesh. When the lioness placed her paw away,blood began to came out of the wound, and, if not for the mane, it would be real fountain of blood. One arterie of the lion's neck had been cut off. It was unlikely that Ngovi would last much longer. He was barely standing, and, shortly after, he fell to the ground. He was doomed.

But Onevu noticed the skill of the queen, and decided to try a different technique. He lowevered his head, closed his eyes, and charged at full speed in the queen's direction. Malkha, too focused on seeing if Ngovi didn't attack, didn't notice the other rogue charging at her, and the lion's head hit the lioness on her chest. Malkha was placed over Onevu's head and mane, while the lion was running. Malkha tried to make Onevu to stop and release her, by slashing him on shoulders and neck with the claws of her front paws, and slashing the lion's forehead and muzzle with the claws of her hind paws. The rogue slowed down, but he kept running, without seeing the way, and hoping to have luck. And his goodluck was Malkha's badluck. The queen noticed, a little bit too late, that the rogue was running to one of the oxidated arkose rocks. If he hit the head against the rock, he would have quite a big headache, but he had a lioness shielding his head. Malkha felt the strong impact against the rock like some kind of agony. She didn't break any bone, but the impact opened a wound on her head and back. Onevu stepped back, and the queen fell on the ground, barely breathing. Onevu placed his paw over the queen's neck, while some drops of his own blood fell on the sandy-fured blue-eyed lioness.

Meanwhile, Ushindi and Utadi managed to immobilize Ukame, while Jefule and Harabu immobilized Kizingo. But the rogues were also getting quite injured. Jambazi and Nduli still tried to get up, without success. Ngovi was dead already, in the middle of a circle of sand dirty with blood.

"What do we do now, boss?" asked Onevu to Afriti.

But Afriti was still too busy, fighting with Arista, and, speaking honestly, both were covered in blood, dust, and bleeding from many wounds. They were fighting right on the middle of the ring of crags. Arista tried to deliver one blow on Afriti again, but the older lion crouched, jumped, and pinned the other lion on his back, placing a paw on the king's throat. The leader lifted another paw, ready to deliver the final blow. But before, he said, answering to Onevu's question: "Kill them!"

But it was too late. The second that he hesitated was the second that allowed to an unknown lioness to jump on his neck, slashing and biting him through the mane. Afriti waved his head, trying to release himself from the lioness, but she was holding on tight. And, finally, one of the paws of the unknown lioness managed to slash the arteries of the gerge-leader, and he began bleeding even more, and felt himself weakening. Now there was no hope for him.

Arista saw the lioness. It was Rama. Maybe her attitude was kind of cheating, but, like it is said sometimes: "In war there are neither cheats nor lies." She helped the king to get up.

Meanwhile, Onevu tried to kill Malkha, but, on the second before, he felt someone pouncing on him, throwing him of Malkha's back. Onevu got up, and saw that Dhalimu had attacked him. The queen's brother jumped on the rogue's neck, and slashing him with strong blows, managed to cut out arteries.

Meanwhile, the rest of the pride had turned to Jefule, Harabu, Ushindi and Utadi. Dhalimu helped Malkha to get up, and then he, his sister, his brother in law, and Rama, joined the fight with the rogues.

Now, the rogues were the outnumbered ones and, mainly because they were already injured, it didn't take too much time untill the mass of lionesses managed to kill them all.

"Whew…" panted Arista. "It's over… we won…"

But then, ne noticed the sad stares on the lionesses' faces, and advanced to see what had left the pride sad.

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It is said that all the victories have a price. It may not be always, but this was the case, without any doubt. The price for the victory against the rogues had been Kizingo and Ukame's lives. The pride had arrived a second too late to save them.

"It's all my fault…" said Arista, lowering his head.

Some drops fell on the ground. It could be tears… or blood… or a mix of both… but he couldn't help it. As king, he was responsible for all his subjects, he had to assure the safety of them all. And he had failed. He had failed in assuring the safety of two members of his pride.

Malkha came close to her mate, nuzzled him, and said: "Arista, it's not your fault… the fault of all of this is…"

But before she could complete the sentence, they turned around, and saw Jambazi and Nduli walking, in a little bit dizzy way, to their dead parents. They couldn't stand it. Because of them, their parents had died… not only because of them, but also because the pride had chose between them and the royal couple. They were monsters… what could they do now?

Suddenly, they stopped crying, and Jambazi, completely uncontrolled, shouted: "It's Arista's fault!"

"IT'S YOUR FAULT!" shouted the whole pride.

At that moment, the pride wasn't thinking too rationally. The fight with the rogues, that had started because of Jambazi and Nduli's betrayal, could be finished, but they still had some war-spirit, and sadness because of the deaths of two members of their pride. The only thing that cared for them now was that Jambazi and Nduli betrayed the pride, and, as a consequence, caused the death of their parents, and the loss of their uncle, aunt, and cousin.

Jambazi and Nduli were quite shocked. It wasn't all the truth that the fault was theirs, but probably they had such a big role in it that… seeing it confessed by the whole pride scared them.

And, before any of the twins had time to counterpoint it, Arista shouted: "Because you have betrayed your pride, contributed to the banishment of your uncle, aunt and cousin, and caused your own parents's death, I sentence you both to EXILE! If I ever see you again on this territory, the sentence is death!"

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The pride went to the Golden Cave, to get the cubs, which had been kept on some higher chambers of the cave, where only small cubs can arrive. Those chambers could be quite useful sometimes.

When the pride arrived to the cave, Hanja was the first cub to ask what had happened. And Rama was the one who told him. She tried to be impartial, and not to ommit any detail. She managed to tell all the important parts, but maybe she gave too much guilt to Jambazi and Nduli.

Hanja looked at the twins with tears in his eyes… he really didn't know what to say… seeing that his father and mother had been killed by his own brothers.

Jambazi and Nduli looked at their little brother and all the three were crying. Probably, the thing that Jambazi and Nduli regretted the most was to leave the pride without Hanja. But then, Arista said, like if guessing their thoughts: "No way! Hanja stays here!"

And then, Hanja looked to the twins, and said angrily: "I also don't want to go with you! You killed mom and dad!"

Jambazi and Nduli felt completely heartbroken in that part. Even Hanja was blaming them!

But they didn't have too much time for condolences. The pride took them to the border of the kingdom, to the east. That was an unknow area for the twins. They were most likely sentenced to death.

And then… they had a completely unexpected attitude. Both of them tried to pounce on Arista. But Arista pounced on them first, and said: "Get out, before the sentence becomes worst!"

With those words, Jambazi and Nduli got up, and finally left to the east.

Hanja, hiding behind Rama's paws, watched his brothers leaving, with tears in his eyes, while Imani and Sifia tried to calm him down.

The teenagers walked away, but, before leaving their land, looked to the pride one last time, and shouted in unison: "THIS WON'T STAY LIKE THAT!"

And, with those words, they turned their backs to the pride, and went away.

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_What did you think? I kind of felt that I wanted to explain better about the rogue-event mentioned in chapter 12... I hope this explained it. What do you think? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	16. Chapter 15: Bloody fights

_Here we again. I hope you enjoy this chapter... eventhough it may be rather scary... but I also hope that it becomes clarifying. Amini (male) is copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use him. Now let's begin._

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**Chapter 15 – Bloody fights**

While Hanja told to Adia about the confusion with the rogues, and his parent's deaths, on the Outlands, Bovu was telling Shimo another story. A story of his own journey. In fact, he didn't know anything about Jambazi and Nduli's troubles, the fight with the gerge, or the death of his uncle and aunt, because he had left the pride with his father and mother. He was telling to Shimo about that.

"There isn't too much to tell about the journey." said Bovu to his son. "My father carried me on his back, and he went on hunting while my mother stayed with me, or vice-versa."

"How much the journey took?" asked Shimo, curious about more of the story.

"Around five days." said Bovu. "It was kind of a record. My cousin Hanja and his best friend Imani took around ten days."

"And where you went?" asked Shimo, even more curious.

"To the Pride Lands." replied Bovu. "I actually stepped on the savannah of the Pride Lands. Hanja and Imani weren't so lucky. They met the prince, Mufasa, but before they had time to step on the savannah, King Arista and Queen Malkha came and took them back."

"And… what happened in the Pride Lands?" asked Shimo.

"That…" said Bovu. "…it's the sad part of the story."

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Ten days after leaving the Golden Sands, Bovu, Kadhi and Abiria crossed a river, and after crossing the river they arrived to a beautiful place, filled with green and soft grass. Bovu was amazed. He had never seen such a beautiful place. However, he had a good guess of what was the place. But he had to confirm it.

"What is that place?" asked Bovu to his father.

"This place is the Pride Lands." replied Kadhi, smiling at his son's amaze. "The same place where Hanja and Imani tried to get. They failed by a river crossing. They never placed their paw in the Pride Lands' ground. But, according to what Kizingo told me, they met the new prince, Mufasa, Mohatu's grandson."

"Mohatu?" asked Bovu, confused. "The king Mohatu from the story that Mr. Arista told?"

"Yes, my son." said Abiria, smiling at him. "That king Mohatu from the story."

Bovu was amazed. So, those were the Pride Lands… they seemed such a paradise… with the soft ground, so different from the sand of the desert… water everywhere, so different from the dry desert, where most of the water had to be drank from fruits or tubers… and meat… well, that was the weak part. He hadn't yet seen any prey that could satisfy his hunger. But he was more curious about what they would do here.

"Now that we are in the Pride Lands, what will we do?" asked Bovu to Kadhi.

But his parents seemed absent minded, like if they were thinking about something.

"DAD!" shouted Bovu, impatient. "Are you alright?"

Kadhi seemed to wake up, and Abiria as well. Kadhi said to Bovu: "Yes… it's just a matter of memories."

"What memories?" asked Bovu, confused.

"Well…" began Abiria. "When the Desertlanders made their journey to the Pride Lands, when the Great Drought began, our mothers were heavily pregnant with us. And we were born here, around eight years ago."

"Yeah?" asked Bovu. "You never told me that."

"The chance never came." replied Kadhi.

"And what is your idea for coming here, Dad?" asked Bovu.

"It's rather simple." said Kadhi. "I hope that Mohatu is still the king, or, at least, is still alive. "Let's see if he accepts us in the pride. It's our best option. Wander out there is kind of dangerous."

"You're not a coward, are you?" asked Abiria, but without meaning it.

Kadhi turned to his mate, and said, in a half-shout: "I'm not a coward! I'm just caring for your safety!"

"Calm down, dear." said Abiria. "I'm not meaning it."

"Alright…" said Kadhi. "Now you and Bovu will stay here. I will go on hunt."

"Dear!" said the lioness sternly. "You stay here with Bovu, I go on hunt. Females hunt better."

"Females are more vulnerable. The ideal would be to go on hunt together…"

"Then we go on hunt together!" said Bovu, exposing the most simple solution.

"Alright…" said Kadhi, with a sigh of resignation. "But you stay hidden!"

"Oh… alright." said Abiria, thinking that her mate is too stubborn.

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Ahadi was hiding in the high grass, watching a grazing zebra. His future meal, to be exact. After another of the typical discussions with Taka, Uru, and Mega, he had left Pride Rock, really bad tempered, and he decided that kill a prey and eat some meat would ease his mind.

So, he started tracking a prey. He found a zebra, that had separated from the herd for some reason. A lone zebra was an easy target for the big lion. He crouched, and then, began to run at full speed in the zebra's direction, at the same time that another lion.

Kadhi also had been stalking that zebra, hoping to hunt her and take her for his mate and son to eat.

But the zebra didn't stay still as well. When she saw the two big lions running to her, she ran away as fast as she could. But the lions were gaining ground, and, curiously, they hadn't noticed each other yet. Until both of them prepared to pounce on the zebra.

On the second before Ahadi prepared to pounce, he noticed that another lion, with crimson-brown fur, black mane, and jade green eyes had been chasing the zebra.

Kadhi also noticed the king, and stopped, allowing the zebra to escape unharmed, but that wasn't the main thing troubling him. Although Ahadi was king, he still had some rogue-like appearance, and Kadhi as well. Both lions thought that they had found a dangerous rogue, an enemy.

"What is this rascal doing in the Pride Lands?" thought Ahadi, looking at the dark-fured lion. "In MY Pride Lands?... No, not mine, Uru's… but I'm Uru's mate, so they are mine as well. I am the king!"

But that wasn't the main thing that made Ahadi aggressive. The lion was completely unrelated to him, for sure… but yet… he had an appearance so simmilar to his second "son", Taka… it was an evil spirit as well, for sure. He had to be killed as well.

Kadhi was worrying with another thing. The golden-fured lion seemed both in appearance and facial expression, a rogue lion, a particularly aggressive one, and that meant that he would most likely kill his family if he found them.

"I'm not a murderer…" thought Kadhi, baring his teeth at Ahadi. "But this is a matter of protecting my family. So… die!"

And Kadhi pounced on the king with extended claws. Ahadi, seeing the other lion's attack, rolled backwards and hit Kadhi in neck with his back paws. He flipped the lion over, and got up as fast as he could. Ahadi got up quickly, while Kadhi landed on four paws, and prepared to keep fighting.

For some time, both lions walked in circles, looking at the other's eyes, like if they were trying some mutual hypnosis. And then, Kadhi pounced on the king. Ahadi rolled backwards in the last moment, and pinned his opponent on his back. Before Kadhi managed to react, Ahadi slashed the other lion's neck with one strong blow, missing neck arterie for miracle, but making serious wounds. The former Desertlander grabbed the king by the shoulders with his front paws, plunged his claws deep in Ahadi's flesh, and pushed him with his back paws. Kadhi managed to get up, but, right after, Ahadi gave him another blow, this time on the face.

The rogue stopped, stunned for a moment, and the king used that moment to slash again Kadhi's neck. This time, he managed to cut the neck artery. Slashing Kadhi with another blow, Ahadi cut the other neck artery.

Kadhi was bleeding a lot, barely standing, and didn't take long for him to fall on the ground. Ahadi turned around, but, right on that moment, he heard two voices.

"Dear!" shouted the first one.

"DAD!" shouted the second one.

Ahadi turned, and noticed a lioness and a male cub running to the dead lion. He asssumed that they were the lion's mate and son. And, on that moment, he realized what he had done. He had killed the leader of an innocent family… the innocent leader of an innocent family… but he did it in self-defence! The lion had attacked him!

Now, the only thing that he could do was to make up for that. But it wouldn't be easy… he noticed that, after crying for some time beside his dead father, the cub looked at Ahadi with a look full of hatred… and he didn't say anything… he simply charged!

But he was stopped… by his mother.

"Are you crazy?" whispered Abiria in Bovu's ear. "You can't attack him!"

"But I want to avenge daddy!" whispered Bovu back, with a voice full of hatred.

"Maybe you will… someday…" said Abiria back, but not high enough for Ahadi to listen.

Ahadi said, bowing slightly his head: "My name is Ahadi… I am king of the Pride Lands…"

"A king?" shouted Abiria, shocked. "You're lying! Mohatu's son wouldn't behave like that!"

Ahadi didn't worry with the fact of the lions knowing Mohatu, he only said: "I'm not Mohatu's son. I'm king by marriage with Mohatu's daughter, Uru."

"Then call her here!" shouted Abiria, even more shocked.

Ahadi was shocked by seeing a lioness giving her orders, but he went away to call Uru.

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"Thanks to Uru, Ahadi allowed us to stay in the Green Den, the hideout of the Pridelanders. Uru promised (I think that more to protect Ahadi than for us), that she would try to keep the pride away from that area. It rather worked, because, during the two years that we spent there, we weren't discovered." said Bovu to his amazed son, still with a look full of hatred after drawing out those memories.

"But… two years after that day, my mother didn't return from her hunt. I don't know exactly what happened, but, when I found her, I assumed that she messed up with a young buffalo, and the mother came to protect her son."

"You can stop, dad." said Shimo, placing his paw on his father's paw. "You can stop that part of the story."

Shimo knew the rest of the story. His father had arrived to the Outlands, and there he had known Fichwa, a former Desertlander lioness. They became mates, and, some years later, they had Shimo, and six months after Shimo, they had a second male cub, who they called Amini.

But, when Amini was only one month old, his mother was devoured by hyenas, and Amini, according to what Bovu understood from the tracks, was devoured by the hyenas as well, or killed by three rogues.

Suddenly, without warning, Bovu got up, picked Shimo by the scruff, and entered a termite mound, their actual home, that had a tree trunk that looked like some kind of seat. He placed his son on it, and said: "Now, try to sleep. It's the best for you."

"But I'm not sleepy!" replied Shimo, bored.

"Then just try to rest." replied Bovu, lying down, and falling asleep shortly after.

Shimo, however, couldn't sleep. He was way too excited after the story that his father had told him. What was the real look of the Pride Lands? Would that be such a paradise? Why they couldn't return? He had to ask to his father. Even if it meant to wake him up.

"Uh… dad…" said Shimo, jumping to his father's head.

But even without Shimo jumping to his head, Bovu heard his son, because he, like all the predators, and all the big cats, had sharp senses. He yawned, and then asked: "What is it, son?"

"Uh… I want to know more about the Pride Lands." said Shimo. "Are they such a great paradise?"

Bovu was beginning to get annoyed. Shimo was forcing him to tell sad events… but why not? He had the right to know the story of his family and of the place where he had lived.

"The Pride Lands are an incredibly good place to live." said Bovu. "There is grass… green grass everywhere… soft ground…. nice waterholes… and food… there is food everywhere… zebras… gnus… all of them well fed…"

Shimo was getting confused. The Outlands had enough food for two lions be well fed, but the Pride Lands… with zebras and gnus everywhere… why they couldn't simply go there, and settle there?

"Dad…" asked Shimo. "Why can't we just settle in the Pride Lands?"

"Well…" said Bovu, thinking.

And, after some minutes of thinking, he concluded that, in fact, they had no reason for not to settle in the Pride Lands… It was quite simple. Bovu just needed to go there, to challenge the king for a duel, and, if he managed to win, he and Shimo would settle there! No more hard life on the Outlands, no more worrying with the hyenas… he and Shimo would live like kings! Literally!

No… it wasn't so simple… if Bovu became a king, he would have to protect and ensure the safety of all the lionesses (and eventual lions) of the pride. Being king wouldn't be an easy life, for sure…

And if he lost the duel? Shimo wouldn't have many hopes then. The best that could happen to him was to stay orphaned, and the worst was to be killed… but he would think about that later… better, he would prepare himself for the duel… one month of training should be enough… it had to be… he had waited for too much time.

But Bovu only said to Shimo: "My son, probably we will soon return to the Pride Lands. But not tomorrow, or on the next day."

"Great" said Shimo happily.

Then, he licked his lips, and said: "Uh… dad… I'm thirsty. Can I go drink something to one of the caves?"

"Yes…" said Bovu slowly. "But beware."

So, Shimo left the termite mound, and Bovu watched him leaving happily. Bovu thought: "My boy… soon you will get what you deserve… soon, I will go to that Ahadi, rip his neck apart, take his heart out of him, and crush it… Then, I'll cut him in pieces, and feed him to the hyenas!"

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"So… uncles Jambazi and Nduli were banished because of what they did to grandpa and grandma?" asked Adia.

"Yes…" said Hanja, beginning to get sick of telling the story.

However, Adia seemed to have more to say. She said: "But Jambazi and Nduli did nothing! The rogues killed grandma and grandpa!"

Then, a female voice spoke: "Adia, why are you bothering your father?"

They turned around, and saw Imani, now an adult beautiful lioness with silver-coloured fur and dark-blue eyes. Adia jumped from her father's mane, and said: "I didn't force dad to tell me, mom. He told me because he wanted to."

"That's right." replied Hanja, getting up. "I told her because I wanted to."

"And you really can't keep those thingsss by yoursssself, my friend." hissed a well-known reptilian voice.

Adia and her parents almost jumped from scare, and then they turned to see who spoke.

"Uh!" said Hanja, after recovering. "Don't scare us like that, Kauli!"

"I don't think that Kauli really scared someone." said another voice, this time coming from a lion.

They turned around, and saw Sparthi coming to the cave's entrance. But he was alone. That was rather strange because, ever since the death of his mother, and the disappearance (presumed death), of his older sister, he used to hang around with Kira, his younger sister, but this time he wasn't.

"Where's Kira?" asked Imani.

"Down there." replied Sparthi, waving his head to the base of a rock close of the Golden Cave.

Then he entered the cave without another word. Imani's sister, Sifia, who heard the talking, approached and said, in a sad voice: "Her mother's and Zira's deaths really affected her."

"What were you waiting for?" asked Imani, sighing.

"Who's Zira, aunt Sifia?" asked Adia, curious again.

"She was Sparthi and Kira's sister." replied Hanja. "Now it's enough of stories for today. Let's go inside."

Imani picked her daughter by the scruff, and the four entered the cave.

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Shimo began walking through the Outlands, making his way to the caves that had some water sources. He went, and drank the water. But, after drinking, he had a sudden inspiration… what if he went to see the Pride Lands by himself? His father could be sleeping… and it shouldn't be so hard to find the way… and then, he would be able to see the lovely paradise… and then…

"No!" concluded Shimo sternly in mind. "I will not disobey my father! I will go home right now… but I… won't disobey him… but he didn't forbid me of going to the Pride Lands! I will go there quite quickly… and return."

While he was thinking, Shimo was wandering off incidentally, paying little to no attention to the way. This was dangerous. In times like that, someone can easily get lost. And, after some time of walking, he remembered a crucial part of the problem. He DIDN'T KNOW the way to the Pride Lands. He had been wandering almost in circles.

"Sometimes I can be really stupid." thought Shimo. "Now I'm nearly lost."

That wasn't the full truth as well. Shimo had a good sense of orientation, and, even without knowing the way to the Pride Lands, he could get back to his father, and lie down in the trunk, like if nothing happened.

But, shortly after, even that proved to be hard. While making his way to the termite mound, Shimo heard laughter. But it wasn't a friendly laughter. It was a laughter too well know to his ears.

"Hyenas!" thought the terrified Shimo. "I must… hide!"

And Shimo tried to hide behind a rock. Right on time. Ten hyenas passed by the rock where he was hiding. Shimo could hear their discussion.

"It's all your fault, Banzai." said a female voice, seeming really annoyed. "I told you that we shouldn't kill the whole sounder at once. They became too rotten to eat, and now we really don't have warthog meat to eat!"

"Everyone can get wrong, OK, Shenzi?" shouted Banzai.

At that moment, one of the hyenas, looked behind, and noticed Shimo. He laughed insanely.

"Oh, shut up, Ed!" shouted Shenzi.

Ed laughed again.

"What?" asked Banzai. "A lion cub? Right there?"

Shenzi and Banzai looked around, and they finally saw Shimo, shrinking in fear.

"A lion cub won't make a decent meal for the clan." said Shenzi, disappointed. "Not even for a hyena. But he can be my snack!"

And Shenzi went towards the cub, with Banzai, Ed, and the other seven hyenas following her. Shenzi said: "Alright, let's see… I stay with the belly, Banzai with one paw, Ed with another paw, and the other seven divide the rest…"

"Hey, just one paw is little!" shouted Banzai, bored.

But then, Shimo tried to be brave, extended his claws, and roared. An extremely weak roar. But he tried to be brave.

"That's the best you can do?" asked Shenzi, making fun of the lion.

Shimo tried to roar again, but this time, instead of the roar, they heard another thing, that wasn't a lion for sure.

"HEEYYY-YYAAAHHH!"

The hyenas turned around, right on time to see Pumbaa charging at them at full speed. They tried to get out of the way, but Pumbaa managed to hit the group of hyenas, throwing to the air every hyena that he hit.

"'Scuse me, pardon me, comin' through!" said Timon, before jumping from Pumbaa's back.

The hyenas got up, looking at Pumbaa, who looked angrily at them. Timon grabbed a stick from the ground, and waved it in a menacing way, baring his teeth.

"Now that sounds better for a snack." said Banzai, licking his lips.

At that moment, Ed looked at Timon, and laughed again.

"Ed is right!" shouted Banzai. "Let's get them!"

The hyenas charged at Timon and Pumbaa, and the two friends charged at the predators. Timon waved his stick, and used it to poke the nearest hyena on the nose with all the strenght that he had. The hyena shouted from pain, and when Timon removed the stick, she began bleeding. Timon moved to the next hyena, and used the stick to hit on the carnivore's head. The hyena shouted from pain.

Meanwhile, Pumbaa charged at the other hyenas with full speed. The strenght of the impact threw the hyenas aside, while others got quite injured by Pumbaa's tusks. Timon went to another hyena, and began poking him with the stick.

Pumbaa made another charge to the recovering hyenas. He poked Shenzi's backside with his tusks. Banzai tried to jump to the warthog, but Pumbaa used his backpaws to give a kick on the hyena, and Banzai ran away.

Timon used the stick to hit Ed with all the strenght he had. Ed squeaked from pain. Timon used his stick to hit another hyena, a particularly big one with pale-brown fur, and without his left eye. That hyena also squeaked from pain.

But Timon and Pumbaa wouldn't hang on for much longer against the hyenas. They were quite brave, and both of them had managed to hurt, at least a little bit, some of the hyenas… but they didn't have numbers on their side. So, Timon made the last thing that it was possible. He hit one of the hyenas again, and then jumped on Pumbaa's back. He shouted: "Run, Pumbaa!"

So, Pumbaa hit one last hyena with his tusks, turned away, ran to Shimo, placed the lion cub on his back, and shouted "Hang on tight!"

Shimo, hearing that, extended his claws to the warthog's back, and grabbed it.

"NOT SO TIGHT!" shouted Pumbaa, releasing some tears of pain.

"Decide yourself!" shouted Shimo.

But he didn't have time for that. He simply ran away with full speed.

"Our lunch is running away!" shouted Banzai, furious for seeing a meal going away.

"GET THEM!" shouted Shenzi, drooling from the antecipation of eating a tasty suine.

So, with the triplets on the lead, the ten hyenas began chasing the warthog, the meerkat, the warthog, and the lion cub. Timon, who was looking backwards, noticed that, and shouted: "They're coming, Pumbaa! Run faster!"

"I can't, Timon!" said Pumbaa. "I'm running with all of my speed!"

That speed was enough for him to keep about fifty metres away from the hyenas but not too more. And then… he heard his stomach gurgling fiercely… on the worst possible time….

Timon also heard it… but surprisingly, he said: "Hurry, Pumbaa! Release it! Release your special power!"

Pumbaa was rather scared of doing it… but it was their only hope. So, Pumbaa said: "Timon, Shimo, put your paws over your noses!"

Timon obeyed on the spot. However, Shimo tried to question him. But Pumbaa just said: "NOW! HURRY!"

Shimo covered his nose, right on time. Pumbaa released a massive fart. The hyenas were thirty meters away, so they weren't directly knocked out, however the smell was completely unbearable for them. They were almost choking, and then, surprisingly, Shenzi turned around, and ran away. The other hyenas didn't waste time in following her.

Meanwhile, Timon turned to the hyenas, and shouted: "THERE'S MORE WHERE THIS CAME FROM, IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO COME BACK!"

"Yeah!" shouted Pumbaa making an angry stare at the running hyenas.

Then, Timon and Pumbaa turned to the lion cub, whose amazement had made him slip from the warthog's back when he released the massive fart.

"Are you alright, pal?" asked Timon to Shimo.

Shimo, however, was still too amazed. That was really a special power of the warthog. A weapon like that would stop the whole hyena-clan… maybe even a whole pride! But amaze was replaced by fear, and shame, when he heard another, well-known voice.

"SHIMO!" shouted Bovu, running to his son.

Timon and Pumbaa stepped back a little bit, while the hulky lion hugged the small cub. He had heard the hyenas, and ran to save his son. He arrived on time to see the warthog using his secret weapon, and the terrified hyenas running away. He wanted to chase them, but he changed his mind, and went to his son.

"Blargh!" said Bovu. "It seems like an attack with chemical weapons…"

"It was an attack with chemical weapons!" said Timon, smiling.

But Bovu ignored the meerkat, and turned to his son, hugging him even tighter.

"What were you doing?" asked Bovu, seeming half-angry, half-relieved. "I told you for you not to leave the termite-mound alone! And you… and the hyenas! If not for Timon and Pumbaa, what could have happened?"

Then, he turned to Timon and Pumbaa, and said, bowing slightly in respect: "Thanks. Thanks for saving my son."

"It was nothing." said Pumbaa, a little bit embarassed.

"No problemo!" said Timon, smiling. Then, he grabbed Pumbaa's ears, and said: "Home, big fella! We already had enough action for a day. Goodbye, Bovu, goodbye, Shimo!"

"Goodbye to you both!" said Pumbaa.

"Bye!" said Bovu and Shimo together, while Timon and Pumbaa walked away.

After Timon and Pumbaa disappeared, Bovu turned to Shimo, and said, disappointed: "Shimo… I'm happy that you're well… but now you know that you have to be punished…"

"But dad…" said Shimo. "I… know I did wrong… but there are not too much punishments that you can give to me in the Outlands…"

"I know…" said Bovu. "But I hope that this will serve as a lesson for you. It happened nothing, but, if that is repeated, I'm afraid I will have to be more severe with you…"

Bovu picked Shimo by the scruff, and took him to their termite mound.

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Some time later, when Timon and Pumbaa returned home, they drank some water, ate some bugs that had spared from the morning meal, and then Pumbaa said:

"Uh… Timon… do you really think this is the Hakuna Matata place that the monkey mentioned?"

"Well…" said Timon, thoughtfully. "It's truth that is not the luxuriant paradise that I was hoping for, but it's good enough."

"But there are still some predators around here." said Pumbaa.

It was truth. More than one time, leopards had been trying to hunt down Pumbaa, and some times even lionesses and rogue lions… but all the predators gave up, sooner or later, because of "Pumbaa's special power". Because of that, Timon had no worries.

"Don't worry, pal!" said Timon. "We can stay here without any problem. If, for some reason, things turn out wrong, we will go to another place."

"I think you're right." said Pumbaa, smiling.

"I'm the brain of the duo!" said Timon.

With those words, both Timon and Pumbaa entered their cave to sleep.

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_What did you think? I know that Ahadi acted like a (insert in this space the insult that you find more appropriate to him)... but he has his issues. Whatever, please, review!_


	17. Chapter 16: The Brightest Star

_Well, this is chapter 16 of my fanfic. Legevu (male) is the lazy lion of the book titled "The Brightest Star" but I wanted to give him a name, and I also wanted to explain why he looked so much like Scar. I hope my explanation sounds reasonable._

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**Chapter 16 – The Brightest Star**

Around one week had passed since the day when Tojo decided to adopt the baby birds. Now, the birds were living with Tojo, who hunted bugs, lizards, and other small creatures to feed them. In time, he came to discover that three of the birds were males, and the other three were females. He also gave names to all the birds, something that Simba completely ignored.

Tojo named the males Fidole, Jicho, and Tundu, and the females Bawa, Tawu, and Ubele. Jani didn't expect to be a "grandmother" so early, but she was happy that Tojo liked of his bird babies.

Kula and Kilia, however, seemed less pleased with the fact of Tojo paying so much attention to the baby birds, because, since the day when he had started to take care of the birds, he played less with them, and that gave them less time to fight over him.

Meanwhile, Sarafina's second pregnancy also kept without any problem for her, but for Zira, her pregnancy was coming to an end. It was quite weird, at least from the Pridelanders point of view, because her pregnancy was lasting for only three months. It was a little bit short. Lionesses' pregnancies normally last four months.

But Scar wasn't too worried with that, because Zira had told him that pregnancies of desert lionesses last only three months. He was more worried with the cub's birth. But it came, eventually.

The worst part was that no one of the lionesses seemed enthusiasmed with supporting Zira… except Sakia and Uzuri… but they had no experience… at least personal experience… about cub's birth, because they never had own cubs, so they were weak support in that. Scar could consider about asking his brother for help, to order to any lioness to support his mate… but Mufasa also didn't like Zira… like almost the whole pride. So, Scar stayed with Zira during her cub's birth.

Almost no one from the pride stayed close to the cave during the birth of Zira and Scar's son. One of the big exceptions was Simba.

"Good luck, uncle Scar!" said Simba, hugging his uncle's paw before leaving the cave.

Scar snorted, but he was feeling bad. Simba, unlike Mufasa, Sarabi, and most of the pride, seemed to actually… love him?

"Well… it can't always be said: "like father like son"!" thought Scar, lying down at Zira's side and placing his paw over Zira's paw, when the birth began.

Simba decided to wait outside the cave, but this time, there were few adults there giving him company. Most of the pride seemed to have abandoned Pride Rock. Only, Simba, Nala, Tojo, Chumvi, Kula, Kilia, Mega, and the birds stayed behind.

"I still can't see why we don't go to play instead of staying here waiting for the birth of your cousin." said Nala, a little bit annoyed.

She wanted to play with Simba, instead of being there waiting.

"I want to give some support to Uncle Scar." said Simba. "I don't see why I can't."

"Uh…" said Nala. "Simba, I don't want to be pessimistic, Simba, but I don't see why you want to do it. Mr. Scar seems to hate you."

"He is my uncle, Nala!" said Simba. "I'm sure that he loves me. And I love him."

"Scar can be a good guy." said Mega, lying down.

"I can even understand why Simba wanted to stay…" kept Nala. "And I stay with him. But as for you…" she turned around to Kula, Kilia, Chumvi, Tojo, and the birds. "I can't see what you are doing here."

"I'm making company to my grandpa." said Tojo, sitting down at Mega's side.

"We are making company to Tojo." said Fidole, landing on Tojo's head.

He was the oldest, and, in a way, considered the leader of the birds. Chumvi should be making company to Tojo. But his sister…

Nala looked at Kula and Kilia. She didn't try to talk with them, but the looks that the two female cubs gave at each other explained the thing. They were there to keep Tojo… and each other, under vigillance.

But, as time passed, things were quite hard, and the cubs could hear it. They could not be looking at Zira, but Zira was roaring quite loud… louder than a lioness normally roars when she gives birth… the birth of the cub should be hard for her.

And they were right. Inside the cave, Zira was pushing the cub with all the strenght that she had, but the progress was little, or nule.

"Scar…" said Zira, almost releasing some tears of pain "This pain… is…"

"Don't worry, Zira." replied Scar, hugging her. "Everything will turn out fine… I promise…"

But in fact neither he, Sakia, or Uzuri knew anything that could be done to help Zira.

Outside the cave, Simba was also getting quite nervous.

"What can we do?" asked Simba to Nala.

"Calm down, Simba…" said Nala, hugging him. "I'm sure that she's alright."

"But… what if…" began Simba to ask.

"Enough!" said Mega, getting up.

They all looked at the lion, and then, Mega asked fearfully: "Kids… do you can stay alone for some time?"

"Why, mr. Mega?" asked Kilia.

"I need to go to Rafiki…" said Mega.

He didn't know why he was doing it. No one of the two lionesses (Zira didn't count), told that Zira needed help, but… in a way, it was the best thing to do. Mega recalled, one by one, the events that he had seen related with cub's birth… Tarki and Masa died… Kimya and Hamu died… Uru and Taka nearly died… and now the events seemed directed to the same way with Zira and her cub… unless he hid something. And he would. He didn't stop Ahadi's brother and cub to die… but if he could do anything to stop Scar's son to die, he would do it. His only hope was that Rafiki would accept to come. He was a lion of the pride, but just a lion. He had no authority to give an order. He could only ask humbly to the mandrill.

Simba looked to Mega, and asked: "Will he help aunt Zira?"

"Aunt Zira?" thought Mega. "I had no idea that Simba considered her as his aunt."

But he answered: "Yes, he will."

That was true. Rafiki had helped Uru, why he couldn't help Zira?

Mega got up, and went running with full speed at Rafiki's tree.

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Shortly after, Mega returned with Rafiki on his back. He made that way, under the same circunstances, almost six years earlier, but this time things were different. This time, ground was dry, which made running easier. It wasn't raining, which didn't disturb the view. So, Mega made the way faster, and almost without getting tired. Still a little bit tired, but not too much.

"How is she?" asked Rafiki to Mega, jumping from the lion's back.

"I don't know." replied Mega.

"Grandpa went to call you by his own initiative." said Tojo, looking at the monkey.

Rafiki turned to Mega, preparing himself to tell him that he couldn't be called unless it was really necessary, but then another roar from Zira sounded, and Rafiki's experienced ears and intuition made him to understand that it could be necessary.

Scar, on the other hand, was deeply surprised when he saw the wiseape entering the cave. No one… at least from his knowing… had been sent to call for him… and Scar wasn't for sure important enough for Rafiki to come by self initiative.

But he thanked Rafiki for coming, anyway. Rafiki grabbed one of his strange fruits… but he seemed a little contraried by helping Zira. However, he said: "Zira, before biting this fruit, hear me, please. When I tell you to push, push with all the strenght that you have. Understand?"

"Yes…" said Zira with a weak voice.

Zira gave a bite on the fruit, almost taking one of Rafiki's fingers along the process, and then Rafiki placed himself behind her. Finally, he shouted: "Push! Now!"

Hearing that, Zira pushed with all the strenght she had. It was quite more than she had expected. The power of the fruit surprised her.

"I did it…" said Zira with panting voice.

"Are you alright, Zira?" asked Sakia, worried.

Zira nodded. Scar didn't ask anything, he only hugged Zira tight. Very tight. And crying… tears of relief. Zira also hugged Scar.

Rafiki got up, grabbed his stick, and said: "Now I will leave."

He went away, but, before coming out of the cave, he shouted without looking backwards: "And you may thank to Mega! He was the one who called me."

"Mega?" asked Scar in mind.

He had no idea that Mega worried so much for him and Zira. To be honest, Mega had been much more like a father to him than his real father, and the orange maned lion had also been a good friend to Zira… but to call Rafiki so early… he would need to talk to him. But not now. There were more important things to talk about.

Scar grabbed his newborn son by the scruff, and placed him on Zira's paws as gently as he was able to. Zira smiled at the cub as she cleaned him. The cub seemed a copy of Scar, with mahogany coloured fur, and green eyes.

"Congratulations, Zira." said Uzuri smiling at her.

"Same for me." said Sakia.

"Thanks." replied Zira.

But then, surprisingly for everyone, Simba entered the cave, without anyone being able to stop him.

"Simba!" said Scar, sternly. "Zira needs to rest! Besides, you know that you should wait outside, like the other cubs!"

"And I have been waiting outside!" replied Simba, almost shouting. "I came in only when Mr Rafiki came out! That means that the cub has been already born, right?

Then, he looked at Zira, who was looking at him in a severe way. He smiled guiltily, and then said: "Sorry, aunt Zira!"

""Aunt" Zira?" asked Zira, confused. Simba was the first cub of the pride to call her "aunt". She and Simba hadn't really talked too much during his life… but…

"Yes!" said Simba. "You are married with uncle Scar, so you're my aunt!"

"Oh… alright." replied Zira, however she could not help but to feel a little bit happy that Simba actually liked her and considered her as his aunt.

Then, Simba climbed on Scar's back. Scar growled a little bit, but Simba kept climbing, to see his newborn cousin on his aunt Zira's paws. Simba said: "He looks just like you, uncle Scar!"

"Not exactly." replied Uzuri.

"What do you mean, Uzuri?" asked Sakia, with a raised eyebrow.

"Scar was a little bit smaller." said Uzuri objectively. "But it's almost impossible to notice. He looks about Mufasa's size when he was born."

Scar felt a little bit annoyed. So, the cub looked like him in almost everything, but had Mufasa's size? Well, he would have to wait until the cub was grown to see. Then, Simba, still lying on Scar's head, asked:

"What is his name, Uncle Scar?"

Well, Scar already had a name chosen for him. So, he said it: "His name is Kisasian."

"Scar…" said Uzuri, a little bit fearfully. "Don't you think it is a scary name?"

"It is a little bit scary, in fact." added Sakia. "But he is Scar's son, Scar can name him what he wants. And names don't really care anything."

"It sounds like a nice name!" said Simba looking again at Kisasian.

Then, he rolled from his uncle's neck, and said: "Goodbye, Uncle Scar!"

And he ran to the cave's entrance, and went out. On his way, he met Mufasa, who was just returning to the cave with Sarabi after his patrol. Nala, Tojo, Chumvi, Kula and Kilia were still waiting for him.

"Hey dad, hey mom!" called Simba, hugging his father, and then his mother.

"What were you doing here?" asked Mufasa, confused.

It was rare to see his son at Pride Rock at such an early time of the day. And even more rare, was to see so much cubs at Pride Rock so early.

"Shouldn't you be playing?" asked Sarabi, confused as well.

"I was playing." said Simba innocently. "But I came to Pride Rock for some moments to see Uncle Scar and Aunt Zira's cub!"

"Aunt Zira?" asked Sarabi in mind. "I had no idea that Simba considered that… outsider… as his aunt!"

"The cub is a boy…" kept Simba. "His name is Kisasian… and he looks just like Uncle Scar! Why don't you congratulate uncle Scar, dad?"

"Uh… I don't know…" replied Mufasa.

It wasn't so easy as Simba thought… after everything that Scar had done to him… and also after everything that he had done to Scar… he couldn't congratulate him so… naturally. So, he decided to come with an excuse.

"Scar and Zira need to have their own time alone with their cub." said Mufasa, without thinking in a better excuse.

Simba couldn't really understand it, but anyway, he forgot that, and decided to return to his playing.

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On that night, Mufasa and Simba were lying down on the top of Pride Rock, looking at the stars, without having an actual talking theme. Then, Simba asked to his father: "Dad…"

"Yes, son?" asked the crimson maned lion.

"The cubs come from inside their mothers… right?" asked the cub.

"Right…" said Mufasa.

"But there's one thing that I don't quite understand…" replied Simba. "How do the cubs go inside their mothers?"

"UH…" said Mufasa, without knowing what to answer. Simba was deffinetly too smart for his age. But he could always say one thing.

And he decided to say it: "You'll know when you grow up."

Simba tried to insist in the question, but Mufasa didn't give any concrete answer, so, Simba decided to make another question. He looked at the stars, and asked: "Dad… what are the stars?"

"Uh…" replied Mufasa, more relaxed. "The stars… are the spirits of the dead animals…"

"And…" asked Simba. "What is the brightest star of them all, right there on the sky?"

Simba pointed to a really bright star, the brightest star of them all in the night sky. Mufasa also looked, and said: "Simba, that star is the spirit of your great-grandfather Mohatu, the best king that the Pride Lands ever had. That is why his star is the brightest star."

"Uh…" said Simba, beginning to get enthusiasmed. "Could you tell me his story, dad?"

"Of course, Simba." replied Mufasa. "But listen well. This story is very important."

Simba nodded, expressing a big antecipation.

"Well…" began Mufasa. "Mohatu's reign was probably the most difficult challenge that any king had to face. He began his reign when he was only two years and a half old. A terrible drought, called a Great Drought, had begun about one year earlier, and his parents, Sheki and Saada, died because of that drought."

Simba was listening, in fact maybe even too silent, trying to listen every word from the story.

"Around one month after the beginning of his reign, another pride came to the Pride Lands." kept Mufasa. "They came from the desert, and were led by Ananias, their king, who was around Mohatu's age, and also had lost his parents. They were quite in the same situation."

"And what was Mohatu's decision?" asked Simba, interested.

"Mohatu had no obligation of helping them." said Mufasa. "In fact, his pride was also at a terrible risk. But Mohatu, against the will of his pride, accepted the Desertlanders. He also met there Laini, a lioness from the Golden Pride, who later became his mate, and your great-grandmother. That one is her star."

Mufasa pointed to another star, quite close to The Brightest Star. Simba looked to the star.

"To solve the drought problem, Mohatu made a law of how much each animal could drink." said Mufasa. "Lions were to go to the waterhole last place. The law worked well for quite a long time, for one year and a half, I think. But one day, one lion, whose name was Legevu (he was Laini's brother), broke the law, because he was quite thirsty, and drank. The other animals waited, but Legevu didn't stop. One antelope approached him and asked him to drink as well. But Legevu, who was too thirsty, attacked her. The animals ran away."

"And then?" asked Simba.

Mufasa took a deep breath, and continued: "Mohatu was outraged when he heard of that, and he was ready to banish Legevu. But… probably because of Laini… he didn't banish Legevu. Besides, banishing the lion wouldn't bring more water. So, Mohatu himself went on a journey to find more water to the lions. He went beyond the Pride Lands, and even beyond the Outlands, and finally, about two days after leaving, he found a river. He drank, and then he found a crocodile. The crocodile was quite big and old, and his name was Tanin."

Simba prepared to make a question, but Mufasa stopped him, and said: "Yes, the same Tanin from the Border River that you know. Tanin was quite sad, because he didn't have any creatures wanting to come close to him. All the animals had ran away from him because he once attacked a hippopotamus. Mohatu promised to help him, and went down river. He found a hippo, that was scared of Tanin. Then, he found a wildebeest, that was scared of the hippo. And finally, a zebra, that didn't drink on the river because wildebeest didn't drink."

"The animals didn't seem too trusty." said Simba.

"Mohatu came to the same conclusion." replied Mufasa. "He returned to the Pride Lands, and said that he had found a river, but no animal could harm another while drinking, at least until the drought had finished. But the animals weren't too trusty, because the lions had also broken the rule. All the animals went to the river, with the first one being the zebra. The zebra knocked out a cheetah that was going to drink before her, and went to drink, but she became stuck in the quicksand. The animals couldn't help her. If they tried, they would become stuck as well. Mohatu arrived with the knocked out cheetah, and then he said to Tanin to help the zebra. Tanin extended his tail to the zebra, the zebra bit it, and he pulled her out of the quicksand."

"And then… the problem was solved, right?" asked Simba.

"Right." replied Mufasa. "Six months after that day, the Great Drought ended. Mohatu invited Tanin to live on the Border River, and the Golden Pride returned to their home, the Golden Sands, about six months after the end of the drought"

"And then?" asked Simba, still curious.

Mufasa yawned, and then said: "Then, it's getting late, and we'll go to sleep right now."

"But dad…!" replied Simba. "Just one thing more: are the stars really such a special thing?"

"Well…" replied Mufasa slowly. "I can say that… when I looked at the stars when I was a cub, I never felt alone. Now, let's go to bed."

And so, Simba and Mufasa went to their cave, and both lied down on the center of the cave. Sarabi asked: "What have you been doing?"

"Dad has been telling me the story of my great-grandpa, King Mohatu!" said Simba, almost shouting.

"Hush!" whispered Sarabi. "The pride is sleeping!"

On his own sleeping place, Scar lifted his head, and looked to see what had made that noise. It was Simba… for a change. Fortunately, Zira and Kisasian didn't wake up. Scar looked at his mate and son, and then lied down, and closed his eyes. And he couldn't help it… but Simba's sentence made him to remember about something...

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"Now, you'll have to move very silently and come as close of your prey as you can…" whispered Scar to Zira, more or less fifteen days after having been exiled, and so also fifteen days after meeting Zira.

They were hunting in the Outlands, hoping to get enough prey for them and the hyena triplets. It was too dangerous for them to hunt in the Pride Lands. Scar took his father's warning really seriously, and instead, turned to the Outlands to hunting. Now that he had Zira on his side, was way easier to hunt for the hyena pups, eventhough she still needed some practice in hunting. This time they were stalking two mongooses.

"You get one, I get the other." whispered Scar. Zira nodded.

"Ready?" asked Scar. "GO!"

And the two cubs started running towards the small carnivores. The mongooses were a little bit surprised by seeing lion cubs trying to hunt them, but they didn't hesitate for long. They set off running at full speed. However, Scar and Zira were faster.

Scar approached his mongoose by behind, and pounced on him, landing successfully on the targed. Zira instead ran close to her mongoose, and grabbed him by the tail. After doing that, both killed their preys with bites on the neck.

"We made it!" said Scar happily.

"Now we will have food for the rest of the day!" said Zira, hugging Scar.

However, both of them felt quite scared when they heard a roar… a lion's roar. Zira prepared to run away, but Scar, on the other hand, stayed there. The lion roar seemed a call for help… it had some kind of "despair" contained. He had to see who it was.

"Scar!" shouted Zira, terrified. "Come! It's a lion! It's close! Run!"

"No!" said Scar, running to where the roar had came from. "It seems a panicked roar! He might need some help! We must see what's happening!"

"But…" said Zira.

Scar understood that Zira was afraid. And he, in fact, had no right of placing her in a dangerous situation. If he wanted to get in one, he could, but he couldn't put Zira in danger. He said: "Alright. You stay here, I will go to see what's happening."

"You're crazy!" shouted Zira, shocked. "You won't go alone! I'll go with you!"

Scar couldn't help but smile at Zira's comment. She was also brave. So, without more words, the two cubs went running to the place where the roar had come from.

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It wasn't too long 'till the cubs came to the place where the roar came from. It was at the base of a cliff. Scar and Zira found a lion, seemingly severely wounded at the base of the cliff, under some stones. He had probably fallen from the cliff. And Scar froze when he saw who was under the stones.

The lion that had fallen from the cliff was his grandfather Mohatu. He was still conscious, but without quick help he would die for sure.

"What can we…" asked Zira to Scar, but the male cub didn't hear her.

Instead, he ran to his grandfather, and remove the smaller stones from the lion's face. He couldn't believe what was happening… his grandfather… the wise and gentle lion… he couldn't be in that state… he had to be saved….

"Grandpa…" said Scar, almost crying, while touching his grandfather's face gently. "Wake up… please… I beg you…"

And then, Scar began crying, while he sobbed loudly. And, on that moment, one of the cub's tears entered the big lion's mouth, and he lifted his head weakly. He tried to focuse his look on the mahogany cub that was in front of him… and after some seconds, he recognized the cub.

"Taka?" whispered Mohatu…

Zira wanted to say: "His name is Scar!" but, before she managed to do it, Scar said: "Yes, grandpa. It's me… what were you doing here?"

"Looking for you…" said Mohatu. "I couldn't stand the idea that you could be dead. It wasn't fair that an innocent cub like you would die…"

The brown lion lifted his left paw, and hugged his grandson. Zira was surprised, but she said, amazed: "And now… what will we do?"

Both Scar and Mohatu seemed to have forgotten about Zira's presence. Then, Scar made the introducions: "Zira… this is Mohatu, my grandfather. Grandpa, this is my friend Zira."

"Mohatu?" asked Zira in mind, confused. "He is grandson of Mohatu? And what is that story of Taka? Why they have called him like that? No wonder he wanted to change his name!"

During the twenty days that the two cubs spent together, Scar told nothing about his family, and Zira told nothing about her family. And now… she was discovering that the cub who took care of her was the prince. And grandson of Mohatu?

But this wasn't the proper time for questions. Scar knew that they needed to act quickly. Each second that passed was reducing the chances of saving the former king. Scar assumed the comand, in an unexpectedly mature way.

"Zira, please, stay with grandpa." said Scar. "I will go to the Pride Lands, and bring Rafiki and someone to help him!"

"No!" shouted (or at least tried to) Mohatu. "Remember what your father said! If he sees you there, he'll kill you!"

"Kill him?" asked Zira in mind, again. "What may he have against such a nice son?"

But Scar replied: "And if I don't bring for help, you'll die! Besides, dad doesn't have to see me!"

And, without a further word, Scar ran with all of his speed to the Border River, while Zira took care of his grandfather.

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Scar crossed the Border River at an amazing speed for a cub of his age, and then he ran at the most likely place where Mufasa could be… Mufasa… it made him disgusted that he would need to ask for help to Mufasa, after what he had done to him. After becoming him in Scar. But it was the only hope to save their grandfather.

"Let's just hope that the idiot believes me!" thought Scar, while running. "And let's just hope that he's where I think he is!"

Fortunately, Scar's worries weren't right. Mufasa was at their usual playing place. He could see him… Zuzu… Zazu… Jani… Sakia… and four unknown cubs! Three females and one male. What were they doing here? As far as he knew, no lioness of his pride was pregnant when he left…

"That's not the proper time to get worried about that." thought Scar. "Let's just hope they don't make me loose too much time."

And then, Scar came closer. He could hear the cubs talking with Mufasa. Apparently, they were practicing pouncing on Zuzu and Zazu… just like he and Mufasa had done… there wasn't time for it.

"This is fun!" said Mufasa to one of the new female cubs. "I know that you've been here only for three days, but I'm sure that you'll like it!"

"Thanks, Mufasa." replied the new male cub, a little bit sad. "It's just sad that we can't get back to our new home…"

"I know, Leo…" said Mufasa. "And I would like to help you… but the only thing that I can say is…"

"MUFASA!" shouted Scar, running to the playing cubs.

All the cubs turned around, and were surprised by seeing Scar running in their direction… like if he was a ghost… Then, Sakia was the first to react, and said: "Taka! You're all right! It's so good to see you!"

"It's Scar, Sakia!" replied Scar, and then he prepared to tell to his big brother about his grandfather's problem, but he couldn't help but to look at one of the unknown female cubs… she was around Mufasa's age… and she was cute!

"Wow…" thought Scar, looking at the female cub. "She's cute for sure!"

And he asked: "What's your name?"

"Sarabi…" replied the other cub shyly.

She was also thinking that Taka… or Scar… was cute… and would be even more if not for the scar over his left eye… but Mufasa interrupted their moment. Scar was again causing him troubles… but he couldn't be too bad to Scar… Jani, and particularly Sakia, who were Taka's close friends, were seeing… so, he only asked:

"What is it, Taka?"

"Scar!" replied the younger brother.

"Then what is it, Scar?" asked Mufasa.

Scar finally remembered of why he was there, and said: "Mufasa… this is an urgent business… you must get help from the pride! We need help to carry grandpa to the cave!"

"Grandpa?" asked Mufasa, without understanding. "Where is he?"

"In the Outlands!" replied Scar. "Badly injured! We must help him!"

Then, he turned to Zazu, and said: "Zazu, do you know where the Tree of Life is? If you do, go to Rafiki, and tell him that he will find king Mohatu at the base of the big cliff, in the Outlands! Go!"

Zazu didn't say a word, he only flew to the Tree of Life. But Mufasa didn't like the idea.

"I am the future king!" said the goldenfurred cub. "I should give the orders!"

"There he is again…" thought Scar. "He is being so self-centered again… but now there's no time for it!"

And he added loud: "Just call someone to carry grandpa!"

With that, Mufasa, the other cubs, and Zuzu went to Pride Rock with all the speed that they could. Scar, on the other hand, also returned to the Outlands as quickly as he could.

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After a while, Scar returned to the Outlands, and went to find Zira talking with his grandfather. He was very weak, but at least he was still alive. Scar also had quite some trouble in going to the Outlands, because, after running so quickly, swimming was extremely hard, but fortunately Tanin, the crocodile, helped him. So, Scar managed to get out of the river, and went to the Outlands.

"What then?" asked Zira to Scar, when she saw him coming. "Is help coming?"

"Yes." replied Scar. "But go to the top of that termite mound, and see if someone is coming. When you see a group of lions coming, warn me!"

"Alright, Scar!" said Zira.

And then, she quickly climbed to the top of the termite mound.

"Don't worry, grandpa…" said Scar, hugging the big lion. "You'll be alright…"

"No, Taka…" replied Mohatu. "The Great Kings of the Past called me… my time has come… accept my death…"

"NO!" shouted Scar, while his tears fell on Mohatu's muzzle. "You will be all right! You will survive! You will live!"

"Yes…" coughed Mohatu. "in you… in Mufasa… and in all those generations that will come…"

"NO!" shouted Scar. "You won't…"

But on that moment, Zira shouted: "SCAR! There's a group of lions coming! A lion with black mane and golden fur is on the lead!"

Scar gulped.His father was coming! He had to leave! But Mohatu couldn't allow to his grandson to go away without telling him one more thing. He had to be quick, because his death was coming fast. He only needed to tell one more thing to his grandson. He had to ask to Scar for not to hate Ahadi. Ahadi wasn't evil… Ahadi wasn't guilty… he was just, deeply marked by his past... If he convinced Scar to forgive Ahadi… maybe… they would have a happy life as a family… and his death wouldn't be in vain…

"Taka… please…" tried to whisper Mohatu.

But it was too late. The former king burst in cough. He wouldn't have enough breath to beg anything, or to say it all. Mohatu's head fell on the ground, and his eyes were only half-open.

"Grandpa!" said Scar, trying to lift the big lion's head. "Don't die… please."

Mohatu knew that he only had breath, and time, to speak some short words… so he tried to choose

"Remember me… Taka…" whispered Mohatu. "Good bye…"

And the big lion closed his eyes, for the last time.

Scar couldn't believe… his grandfather… the noble, strong, and at the same gentle and comprehensive lion, was dead… right in front of him… Scar just couldn't handle it. A fountain of tears began flowing from his eyes, while he sobbed lowly, with his face buried in Mohatu's black mane.

"Grandpa…" said Scar sadly, hugging his grandfather's dead body.

"RUN!" shouted Zira, pushing him hard. "They are coming!"

She was sorry for being so harsh to Scar, but it was their only chance of surviving. And Scar understood that. He hugged Mohatu for one last time, and then he ran away with Zira. And it was right on time.

About one minute later, Ahadi, Uru, Laini, Mega, Uzuri and Mufasa (who was on Ahadi's back) could see the base of the cliff… they only found Mohatu… no Scar.

And, when they came closer to Mohatu, they realized that he was already dead…

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Mohatu's funeral was made on the day that followed the accident. In spite of Zira's – and also the triplets' – protests, Scar said that he wanted to go to the funeral of his grandfather, without caring for the risk of being found. Zira, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed decided to go with him… and, much to their surprise, the crowd of animals paying their respects to the dead former king was huge… it seemed that every single animal in the Pride Lands had decided to come… and they were all crying.

"Wow…" said Ahadi, on the top of Pride Rock. He was crying, like the whole pride, but, even so, he got amazed by what he saw. "I never saw such a big crowd of animals…"

"This one is an exception…" sobbed Uru, crying a fountain of tears after the death of her father. "My father was the best king that ever lived…"

Uru hugged Mufasa, who was crying a lot as well. Then, she sent Mufasa for Ahadi, and she, her mother, and Mega lifted Mohatu's body, and descended Pride Rock, to carry the dead lion to his grave.

Meanwhile, carefully hidden in a bush, Scar, Zira, and the hyena pups watched as well as they could the funeral of the great king. Uru, Laini and Mega were carrying Mohatu's dead body to a pile of rocks that would cover hi.

Hidden in the bush, Scar just couldn't handle more, and began crying in Zira's shoulder. Zira placed her paw over her friend's shoulders, and she also released some tears.

"I came to the Pride Lands with the purpose of meeting King Mohatu." thought the small female cub. "I knew him… but it's unbelievable that he died so shortly after."

Uru, Laini and Mega had already placed Mohatu's body in the middle of the stones, and were slowly covering it. After that, Ahadi walked back, while Uru took his place at Pride Rock's edge. It should be the king to speak, but, because Uru was the daughter of the previous king, Ahadi decided to let her speak.

But, before the speech began, Scar said: "Let's go."

"But Scar…" said Banzai. "Shouldn't you hear what your mother will say?"

"I probably should." replied Scar, still crying. "But I can't hear her from where we are. And, if we go too close, we'll all be killed."

The young hyenas got quite scared at that comment. Even Ed didn't laugh.

And so, Scar, Zira, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed went away, returning to the Elephant Graveyard.

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"Scar…" said Zira, a little bit fearful. "Shouldn't you come to sleep?"

Scar had been sitting down on the Elephant Graveyard all alone, several hours after his grandfather's funeral, and now it was late night. He was sitting down in the only place that went above the smoke that covered that valley, that came from geysers and fumaroles.

"Leave me alone!" replied Scar, releasing some more tears.

"Scar…" said Zira, carefully coming close to him. "Don't cry… I know it's sad… but you heard what your grandfather said: he'll always live in you. And look to the sky! I didn't care about looking at it last night, but now…"

Scar lifted his head to the dark-blue sky, and, between all the stars that already were there, he noticed another one, that was easy to notice, because it was bigger and brighter that any other. It was "The Brightest Star", the spirit of his grandfather.

"Like he said, he'll always live in you."

Then, a soft breeze began blowing on Scar, and he wiped off his tears. He took a deep breath, and then Zira said: "Right. Let's go to sleep. And remember… some days from now, we'll go to your pride, and see your mother and grandmother again. Then you'll introduce me to them."

Scar wasn't too happy with the idea of returning to his pride, but he didn't say anything. He and Zira returned to their cave, and then, they lied down, and fell asleep.

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Scar woke up, and then, he realized that he wasn't sleeping on the Elephant Graveyard with cub Zira and the hyena pups… he was sleeping with adult Zira and his newborn son on Pride Rock.

"It's a past…" thought Scar. "Just a past… but…"

He looked on the sleeping Zira, and on his sleeping newborn son, and said: "Soon, I will make you queen… and you will get everything that you deserve… not what the Pridelanders have been doing to you…"

He looked on the missing piece of Zira's right ear. He said: "I can't believe that she would even try to kill you… I initially regreted that I had stopped her, but now… I don't regret it at all…"

Then, Scar licked Zira's face. Zira smiled on her sleep, but she didn't wake up. Scar smiled at her, lied down, and soon fell asleep again.

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_Well... what did you think? To begin with, thanks to Jagabor, Kovukono, and all the others who have been reviewing. But please, review, because I still need opinions._


	18. Chapter 17: A false ancestor

_Well, this one is chapter 17 of my fanfic. Well, "King" Joe is copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "A false ancestor", and the two birds that ask many questions also are. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 17 – A false ancestor**

Simba woke up early, like he always did. He got up, yawned, and, like usual, ran to the edge of Pride Rock to see the sunrise. He stepped on Leo, Fani, Sena, Kianga, Koza and Asumini before reaching the cave's entrance. All the stepped lions groaned a little bit when Simba went against them.

"Sorry!" replied Simba always that he stepped on any member of the pride.

But finally he came out of the cave, and went to see the sunrise at the edge of Pride Rock, and he saw the sunrise. Shortly after, Mufasa and Sarabi came after him. Mufasa yawned, Sarabi as well, but soon they went to Simba.

"Good-morning, dad, good-morning, mom!" said Simba, with a big smile.

"Good-morning, son!" replied Mufasa with sleepy voice.

Sarabi didn't answer, but she nuzzled her son. Simba nuzzled her back. Mufasa looked at the Pride Lands, and said: "The Pride Lands are quite beautiful at the sunrise."

Soon after, Tojo's birds, with Fidole on the lead, flew out of the cave and looked at the sunrise, joining to Simba.

"What will you do today, son?" asked Sarabi.

"I don't know yet, mom!" replied Simba. "But I think that I will talk with Nala, or Tojo, and we'll play together."

"I can see…" said Sarabi. "Well, don't get into troubles, Simba!"

Some time later, the whole pride came out of the cave, and Simba went to meet the other cubs, to see if anyone wanted to play with him. But she had quite bad luck. Nala, Sena, Kilia, Tibuka, Chafua and Hiari didn't want to play with him, because they were practicing hunting with Fani and Leo, and Simba thought that hunting was a little bit boring. Tama said that she wanted to look for flowers. Tojo was a little bit busy because he needed to hunt lizards and worms for the birds.

"But, if you wait a little bit, I can play with you." replied Tojo soon after.

Simba didn't want to wait. But Chumvi, Koza, Kianga, and Kula could play with him, if he found them on the Green Den, where they would play hide-and-seek.

"I'll go soon!" replied Simba happily. "See you later!"

Before leaving Pride Rock, Simba still had another thing to do. He didn't use to do it, but this time he could do it.

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Scar and Zira were both lying on their favourite ledge of Pride Rock, with the yet sleeping Kisasian in Zira's paws. Scar looked at Zira, and said: "I'm sure that we'll be fine here. No one has ever came here to disturb us."

"Yes, you are right in that." said Zira, looking at Scar. Then, she became a little bit angry, and added:. "Or better to say… almost right. There's someone who always disturbs us… and manages to find us, where ever we are."

Before Scar could answer, he felt someone jumping on his mane. It wasn't for too long for Scar to find out who was doing it.

"Simba!" said Scar in an angry voice, almost shouting. "I already told you for not to that!"

Zira also turned her stare to Simba, and made an angry look, but Simba didn't notice it. He only lied on his uncle's mane and began chewing his ear. Scar groaned, but he laid still. At least for some time.

"Let go my ear!" said Scar, angry.

But Simba didn't obey.

"You heard your uncle Scar!" said Zira, in the same angry voice. "Let go his ear!"

But she stopped talking when she felt that Kisasian began moving. Apparently, he was awake. So, Zira did her best to allow her cub to drink her milk. Scar, noticing that, tried to get up, but he couldn't do it with Simba on his head. His nephew had already released his ear, but didn't move away.

"Why are you always here?" asked Simba, but in fact without waiting for any real answer.

Both Scar and Zira sighed with annoyance. Simba himself was innocent, it was true. But he was son of the two lions that they hated the most: Mufasa and Sarabi. Scar and Zira hated both Mufasa and Sarabi because of what they had done to them in the past. Scar hated Mufasa for making him to become Scar, and mainly for stealing Sarabi from him. Zira, on the other paw, hated Sarabi, because the other lioness was ready to use all the necessary means to keep Scar away from her…

Simba was innocent, but he was hated because of his parents. Yet, they couldn't… or didn't want… answer to Simba's question. But Simba said innocently: "I'm the future king, you gotta do what I tell you!"

With those words, Scar bared his teeth, but he calmed down soon after, and said: "Simba, get out of my head right now! I have important things to do!"

"Alright!" said Simba in his usual playful voice.

Then, Simba rolled down from Scar's head, and went away. Scar got up, and said to Zira: "I must go on hunting, to bring food for you. But… do you think that you can stay all right alone?"

"Yes." replied Zira, sighing, but at the same time looking at Scar with loving eyes. "And you shouldn't hunt for me. It's not a lion's job to hunt."

"But the pride barely leaves any food for you." said Scar, worried. "And you need to eat well. And Kisasian needs to be well fed to grow healthy."

"Alright." said Zira. "See you later, then."

Zira watched Scar going away. She was really lucky for having a mate that cared so much about her.

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Meanwhile, a rogue lion was wandering in the Pride Lands, looking for food. The rogue lion had brown fur, reddish-brown mane with a streak of pale golden in the area under the chin, and orange eyes. He also had a short beard. The lion was quite big, but way too thin for his size. His ribs were poking out, and he was quite hungry.

The name of the rogue lion was Joe. He had been kicked out of his pride around two years before, and, because he was a… reasonable, but not a good, hunter, he had some problems to feed himself. He managed to hunt enough to keep himself alive, but no more. Or maybe it was a little bit of bad luck that always made him to find some land with poor resources. His last unpleasant surprise had been the Outlands, where the only things to eat that he saw were termites.

Termites were quite good, but he had to eat them really quick, and even so he got some unpleasant bites on his tongue and mouth. So, he left the Outlands, crossed the river using a tree trunk that seemed to be there to serve as a bridge, and arrived at the Pride Lands.

Right now, he was complaining loudly about his problems, and also about his hunger.

"I'm so hungry that I could eat a whole elephant to begin with." complained Joe, while walking through the savannah. "I haven't eaten anything for days… except those termites…"

He walked for a little bit longer, and then, he continued: "This is what happens when you don't have a family to take care of you…"

Joe quite felt like a lonely lion, but at least he tried to see the best side of the things.

"But this seems to be a prosperous region." kept Joe. "Probably I'll be able to find here… uh, what's that sound?"

Joe looked to his left, and saw a big ball of light falling from the sky. The rogue lion had never seen such an unusual phenomenon, but this didn't worry him too much, because the ball was going straight to him! Joe shouted, both from fear and surprise, and tried to avoid the strange phenomenon, but the ball of light fell on the ground, and blew up almost on his side. The explosion opened a hole on the ground.

"HELP!" shouted Joe, being thrown to the air by the impact of the explosion, and shortly after falling inside the hole.

The ball of light was in fact a burning rock, most commonly called a meteorite, but Joe didn't know that, and now was lying on the bottom of the hole, moaning. He had never seen or heard about something like that.

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Someone who also had never seen or heard of something like that was Simba. He was going west, to the Green Den, where he would find his friends and play hide and seek with them. But, shortly after beginning his way, he noticed some strange ball of light falling from the sky, and hitting the ground. It wasn't the sun, for sure, because the sun can never fall from the sky, but it was something.

"How cool!" said Simba, when he saw the explosion of the meteorite falling on the ground, and ran to the crater. "I've never seen anything like it!"

So, Simba went to see what was on the hole, with the typical curiosity of the cubs that always want to see and learn about everything, without caring of how dangerous it can be.

"It must be some star that fell from the sky!" said Simba, just before looking into the hole.

"Something to eat…" whispered a voice from inside the hole.

And, when Simba looked into the hole, he saw three things. The hole, some ashes (the remains of the destroyed meteorite, but Simba didn't know it), and a lion. The lion was quite thin, but Simba didn't care about that.

The only thing that he cared about was the lion was lying inside the hole where the ball of light had landed. So, he should be the ball of light. And the ball of light was probably a star that fell from the sky! So, the lion should be a Great King of the Past!

The lion ignored Simba for most of the time, and just tried to climb outside the hole… and he spoke. He said: "A little morsel… for… lunch…"

But then Joe took consciousness of his pains, and asked, to nobody in particular: "What happened to me?"

Joe managed to crawl outside the hole, while Simba began bombarding him with talking.

"You must be one of the Great Kings!" said the little prince excitedly. "How awesome! Welcome to earth, your majesty!"

Joe was trying to recover from his pains, so he paid limited attention to what the unknown cub was saying. But he listened enough of it, and, when he sat down, he noticed that the cub was bowing at him. That fact allowed Joe to confirm that he was right.

"I must have been hit by a rock that fell from the sky." thought the lion. "And what's that cub talking about? Does he think I'm some sort of king?"

Joe looked around, and fortunately, he didn't see any adult lion or lioness around. But it wouldn't take too much time for any one to come. He would have to leave before that.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, but now… I've gotta go!" said Joe, before turning his back on Simba and starting to run.

But Simba chased him. It was the first time that he saw a Great King of the Past, and he didn't want to let him go so easily.

"This cub sure has a screw loose!" thought Joe, while running away from the prince.

But then, Simba said the magical words: "Wait! Can't you just stay and have some lunch?"

"You said "lunch"?" asked Joe, drooling like a hyena at the sound of the word. "Like in… food?"

"Sure, we've got lots!" replied Simba, enthusiasmed with the fact that he managed to convince the Great King of the Past to stay. "I'll go and get something for you! Just wait here!"

The thin lion lied down under an acacia, while Simba returned to Pride Rock, to get some food. Joe couldn't help but smile. He just had a big idea that would make him to become the strong and muscled lion instead of the thin rogue.

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Simba returned to the acacia about two hours later, dragging a big piece of meat as quickly as he could. He managed to take the piece away from the cave without anyone noticing it, although Mega and Uzuri almost saw him taking it, and then he took it to the lion. He didn't know the lion's name yet, but that would be one of the many questions that he would make to the Great King of the Past, once he gave him the piece of meat. After some exhaustive dragging, Simba noticed his ancestor lying down under the acacia. He dragged the piece of meat to the acacia.

"Meat!" said Joe, licking his lips, and looking at the piece of meat with a famished look.

He went at the piece of meat, and began chewing the meat avidly, while Simba just stared at him. But soon, after, the prince started talking: "So, you are a Great King of the Past, right?"

And then, Joe remembered that if he wented to keep the cub close, he would have to tell him stories… lies. That was kind of a bad part. Joe was relatively honest, he didn't like too much to lie to anybody. But this was a life or death situation, and was also the kind of lie that wouldn't harm anybody. So, he began telling a story that he made up on the moment while he chewed the meat.

"Perfect." thought Joe. "This story will give me nice meals for the nearest days."

But he only added loud: "Yes… I ruled these lands many, many years ago!"

"Amazing!" said Simba, completely enchanted with the story. "What is your name?"

Joe decided to avoid that question. If he told his name… well, the kid could know well the history of the kings his pride, notice that he wasn't any king that he knew before, tell his father, or, even worst, to all the males of the pride, if it had more than one, and then, Joe was in big trouble. So, he lied again, but tried to not extend his lie too much.

"I am the great-great-great-grandfather to the present King, and I'm here on a VERY secret mission." replied the rogue lion, still with his mouth full of food. "So you don't tell anyone that I'm here."

"Not even dad?" asked Simba, disappointed.

He had discovered a Great King of the Past, he was hoping to be able to say it to the whole pride, and then to be recognized as extremelly lucky by meeting someone so important. And now he couldn't tell it to anyone? But… maybe he could tell it to his father. He decided to give a try.

"Not even my dad?" repeated Simba, hopefully.

"Especially not your dad!" replied Joe, lying on his back. "I mean… not now at least. Later…"

And with that, the lion burped.

"Okay!" said Simba.

"By the way, are there any left overs?" asked Joe, thinking about eating even more.

"Yes!" replied Simba. "But please, tell me your name first!"

"Uh…" thought the thin lion. "That kid is really annoying! But alright, I'll tell him my name, and hope that he doesn't know too much about his pride's history."

He added loud: "My name is Joe. King Joe!"

"Your name's Joe?" asked Simba.

And he thought: "Well, that's a quite strange name. But it sounds nice. And the name doesn't care too much, only what he did. Let's get some more food for him."

And so, Simba returned to Pride Rock, to get more food to his great-great-great-great-grandfather.

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After taking more food to his ancestor, and hearing many of his tales about what he did while he was alive, Simba returned to Pride Rock, because the sun was setting. Joe told the little cub that he would spend the night somewhere, and they should meet on the next day, with food, in exchange for another story. Their meeting should be right on that place, where Simba had known the lion.

But, when Simba returned to Pride Rock, he saw that his father and mother were waiting for him, alongside, Koza, Kianga, Kula, and Chumvi. The cubs seemed a little bit annoyed. Mufasa and Sarabi weren't angry with Simba, because after all he wasn't yet late, they were just curious to see why the cubs seemed annoyed at him.

Simba climbed to the entrance of the cave, and saw the cubs staring at him a little bit angry. He said: "Oh… hello, guys! And girls…"

He solved to add the last one because he noticed that Kula and Kianga narrowed their eyes when Simba said only "guys". And then, Chumvi spoke. He didn't seem angry, just a little bit bored.

"Where have you been, Simba?" asked the dark-brown cub. "We were waiting for you to play hide and seek, but you took so long that we decided to play without you. We have been waiting for the whole day, and you didn't come!"

Simba said, trying not to sound very enigmatic: "I have been doing something far more interesting that playing hide and seek."

And, with those words, Simba went to eat a piece of meat that was already prepared for him. But all the cubs got amazed when Simba said that. Nala and Tojo particularly, because they knew that Simba's favourite game (after trying to go on dangerous adventures) was to play hide and go seek.

"Is he alright?" asked Jicho to Tojo, in a confused voice.

"I think so…" replied Tojo, but he was as confused as his bird.

"No, Tojo." said Nala, going to the blue-eyed male cub. "He's not alright. Other than going on dangerous adventures, what can be more interesting for him than to play hide and go seek? Because I don't think that he has been in one of his dangerous adventures… he seems too calm to be returning from one."

"You're right in that, Nala." replied Sarafina, going to her cub, a little bit slower than the usual, because of her advanced pregnancy. "This is not really normal in Simba. But let's just forget. If this strange behaviour from Simba doesn't keep going for the next days, we can simply forget about it."

"I would say that he found someone to tell him some interesting story." said Moyo, going to Sarafina.

"Well, that may be a good point." replied Jani, sitting down at Tojo's side. "After playing hide and seek, what Simba loves the most was to hear stories."

"But who, dad?" asked Nala, guessing the problem.

"Well…" said Moyo thoughtfully. "For we to know, we just need to ask to all the members of the pride."

And so they began questioning the pride's members. No one of the lionesses had been telling a story to Simba. Leo also hadn't been because he was with Fani teaching to some cubs how to hunt, even if he was a little bit poor as a hunter. Mega had been telling a story to Tojo. Mufasa had been busy with his royal duties.

"So..." said Nala, slowly. "The only lion left is Mr. Scar!"

"He can't have been doing that." replied Jani. "It's unlike of him. Besides, he has been taking care of his…" she added the word "outsider" whispering, and then said in normal voice: "…mate and son during the whole day!"

Then, Moyo had another inspiration, and said: "But maybe he went to Rafiki! Rafiki knows a lot of crazy stories! Some of them could interest Simba… But if you want an advice, honey, just go to Simba and ask him what he has been doing."

Nala followed her father's advice, but Simba answered to her that it was a secret, at least for the nearest days. So, Nala returned to her parents, but this time, they were also out of ideas.

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Simba's strange behaviour continued for some time. He woke up early, took food to his great-great-great-great-grandfather, and then he just sat close to him while he told stories and filled his stomach with food. Simba was getting really happy with all the stories that his ancestor told him. Those stories were getting more and more amazing (and fantasious, even thought Simba didn't know it) by the hour, if not by the minute.

Joe, on the other hand, was getting really satisfied with the food that Simba brought him, and wasn't feeling hunger anymore. Just two months of feeding in that place would make him the muscled and strong lion that he could be if not for all the hunger that he felt. Simba didn't care for carrying food for the rogue lion, because he could hear more and more amazing stories.

On the other paw, Mufasa, Sarabi, Nala, and all the other members of the pride (except for Scar, Zira, and Kisasian), were getting a little bit worried with Simba's unusual behaviour. Eventually, Nala decided to follow Moyo's suggestion, and go to Rafiki to see if Simba was with him, but the prince wasn't with Rafiki. Rafiki told Nala that the only way to know what Simba was doing was to ask him directly, or to follow him and see.

But Mufasa also came with this idea, and, around two days after Simba's misterious trips, he decided to use a bait to see what Simba was doing. He had noticed that some of the meat from the pride's huntings had been disappearing, and it wasn't necessary to investigate too much to understand that Simba had been taking it… he just needed to know where. So, he placed a piece of meat at a random place, and pretended to be sleeping under a tree with Zazu.

And after some time, like Mufasa expected, Simba came to take the piece of meat, but, before he managed to take it without anyone noticing, Mufasa woke up from his false sleep, and said, turning to Simba: "Hello, son!"

"Uh… hello, dad…" said Simba, trying to sound innocent.

But it didn't work. Mufasa said: "Simba! I want to talk to you!"

"Y-yes?" asked Simba, a little bit scared.

"I haven't seen you too much the recent days. What have you been up to?" asked Mufasa with an intriguing look.

"Me?" asked Simba, trying to sound innocent, but speaking a little bit loud. "Been up to? Nothing special! I… I've gotta go. Bye!"

And so, Simba took the piece of meat as silently as he could when Mufasa turned his back on him, and went away. But Mufasa had turned his back to speak with Zazu. The king asked to the majordomo: "And we believe in that, Zazu?"

"Certainly not, sire!" replied the bird. Then, he began flying, and concluded: "And now, before you ask me, I'll go and have a look at the little cub."

"Thanks, Zazu!" replied Mufasa.

After that, he lied down under the acacia again.

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Meanwhile, Zazu was flying some meters above Simba, watching him dragging the piece of meat. Zazu didn't understand at all the little cub's plans, but he quite understood them when he saw Joe going to Simba, and taking the piece of meat away from him, beginning to eat it, while Simba sat down, and he and the lion began speakin

Zazu flew lower to hear the talking, and he heard it: "And there I was! Alone and abandoned! Me, King Joe, against a thousand hyenas!"

"Who is that?" thought Zazu, landing behind a bush close to Joe and Simba.

"And believe me, kid…" kept Joe enthusiastically. "… you have never seen a battle like that one! I'm the bravest of all your ancestors! It's a shame I'm on a secret mission, otherwise I could've shown you what I did to the hyenas."

"Wow…" replied Simba.

Zazu began getting angrier and angrier at the talking that Simba was having with the rogue, who was still telling the story: "We would've chased them off! Have I told you about when I roared so loud that three trees fell over?"

"No!" said Simba right after. "Tell me!"

And then, Zazu looked at the crater made by the meteorite, that was still burned inside, with the pieces of the meteorite in it. He had heard some stories of rocks that fall from the sky, and, after thinking a little bit, he understood everything.

"Simba must be thinking that he's an ancestor who fell down from the sky!" thought Zazu, terrified.

At the same time, Joe asked to Simba: "Is there any food left?"

Zazu flew off at full speed, thinking: "I'd better tell Mufasa! And quickly!"

Shortly after, Zazu arrived at Pride Rock, and crashed right into Mufasa's head. Mufasa woke up, and asked: "What's up, Zazu? Did you find out what Simba is doing?"

Zazu didn't waste any time in telling to his king everything about "King" Joe and what he was doing with Simba. Mufasa was quite scared, and shouted: "He might be dangerous! I must chase him out of the kingdom!"

"You'd better not, sire." said Zazu, trying to calm Mufasa down.

"But he is false!" growled Mufasa.

"But Simba thinks he's real!" said Zazu, trying to get some sense in Mufasa's head. "And if he sees you chase off an honoured ancestor, he might begin to doubt in all legends! I think it's better if we let Simba to discover what an imposer the stanger is on his own."

And Zazu explained his plan to Mufasa. He agreed, and allowed Zazu to put it in motion.

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Some time later, while Simba was still hearing stories from his great-great-great-great-grandfather, two birds landed in one tree close to the two lions. In fact, it were two parrots, with red feathers on all the body, except on the belly and around the eyes, where they were blue, and yellow beaks. They also had longer tufts of feathers on their heads.

Neither Simba nor Joe, who stopped his talking temporarially to such another bone, gave much importance to them, until one of the parrots began speaking. To Joe.

"Are you the Great King who fell down from the stars?" asked the bird with the longer head-tuft.

Joe was amazed. He thought that Simba hadn't told anyone about him! But the rogue lion noticed that Simba was as amazed as him, which made him to understand that someone else knew his secret.

Before Joe could deny or confirm what the birds said, Simba answered, with an amazed voice: "Yes, that's him!"

The bird kept speaking: "A little bird told us about you! We know all about the Great Kings!"

"That's our hobby!" said the second bird, with the smaller head-tuft. "You must be the one who ruled when the hyenas tried to take over! And the one who discovered the Elephant Graveyard! Was it before or after the earthquake? You had two sons, right?"

"Uh… yeah." replied Joe nervously, hoping to be right.

But he wasn't and the birds confirmed it.

"Wrong!" said the first bird again: "You had three sons! And what was your father's name?"

This time, Joe didn't answer. He only thought: "If these two keep going on like this, the kid will realize I'm a bluff and call for his dad, and then I'm in big trouble!"

So, he slowly turned away from the birds, who fortunately didn't speak more, and said: "Hey kid, it was nice to meet ya, but now I must get going. See ya!"

"What?" asked Simba, confused.

He was having such a great time with his ancestor, and didn't want him to get going so quickly.

But Joe didn't answer to his question, running away instead. Simba, however, didn't give up so easily, and ran after the rogue, shouting: "NO! Please! Don't go yet!"

"He is persistent!" thought the thin lion.

And he added loud: "No, I really must go!"

Simba and Joe ran for some time, to north, towards the Outlands, until they arrived to a river. Not the Border River yet, but quite a big river. Joe prepared himself to jump to the other side, using a big stone that was on the middle of the river.

"No, wait!" shouted Simba.

"He won't be able to jump across the river." thought Joe, when he landed on the other side.

Simba could not be able of doing it, but he tried! He landed right on the stone that Joe used, and then he understood that it wasn't the stone, but a crocodile! Simba was terrified. The crocodile tried to shake himself to take Simba off him, but Simba was holding tight. For the moment.

"Oh no, oh dear! Simba!" said Zazu, landing on the river bank.

The idea of the birds had been planned by him, and Zazu thought it worked, until he saw Simba chasing Joe and falling over the crocodile.

"Why did the little fool had to follow him?" said Zazu, flying off the ground again. "I must get Mufasa!"

And Zazu flew to Pride Rock with all the speed that he was able to reach.

Some time later, Zazu and Mufasa both reached the river. They noticed Simba, laying on the bank, soaked, and covered in mud, but no sign of the crocodile, and, what was more important, no sign of Joe… except of a pawprint on the bank that said that he could have gone to the Outlands.

"Son!" shouted Mufasa, worried. "Are you arlight?"

"Yes, father." said Simba. "My great-great-great-great-grandfather saved me! But he had to go… so you just missed him!"

And then, Simba hugged his father, and told him everything about "King" Joe and all of his adventures.

"Well, Zazu." said Mufasa, after Simba stopped speaking. "It seems that our "ancestor" came from heaven, after all."

"Yes, sire…" said Zazu, slowly. "It… ahem… seems like it."

And then, Simba, Mufasa and Zazu returned to Pride Rock.

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review! I'm still needing opinions._


	19. Chapter 18: Simba's dare

_Well... here comes the next chapter. I hope you enjoy._

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**Chapter 18 – Simba's dare**

Simba, Zazu and Mufasa arrived to Pride Rock shortly after. Surprisingly, they had someone waiting for them. That someone was Nala. Some of the other cubs also had chosen to play there, for some unknown reason. Simba went to meet Nala, and asked her happily: " Do you want to play tag, Nala?"

"Sure!" replied Nala happily, seeing that Simba already had returned to normal. "But first… tell me this: what were you hiding in the last two days?"

Simba hesitated a little bit; after all, Joe had told him for not to tell about him, but he also said "not now at least" so, Simba could tell Nala.

Mufasa went away to the cave, and Simba, noticing that his father couldn't hear, said: "Nala, I met a Great King of the Past!"

"What?" asked Nala, surprised.

Simba looked at Nala, waiting to see her reaction, and then, he got disappointed. Nala wasn't amazed, and extremely excited (and maybe with a little bit of jealousy) for Simba's luck of meeting and honoured ancestor. She was… disbelieful… she wasn't believing him! So, Simba insisted: "It's truth, Nala! I have seen a Great King of the Past! He was my great-great-great-great-grandfather, and his name was Joe!"

With those words, someone began laughing. But it wasn't Nala. Fortunately, she was being polite enough for not to laugh of it. Then, Simba looked around, and noticed all the cubs that were laughing. He saw Koza, Kianga, Tama, Sena, and Hiari… all laughing of him!

"IT'S TRUE!" shouted Simba, furious. "I SAW HIM! I'M NOT LYING!"

"Yeah… right!" said Koza, who seemed to be believing him even less than Nala. "Give me a break!"

"I SAW HIM!" shouted Simba again, this time extending his claws, and almost slashing Koza's face.

But, on the next moment, he felt sorry of doing it. At least, Koza seemed a little bit scared, and shut up, without keeping to mock him, but then Kianga took her brother's place and said: "If so, go and meet him! And bring him here! I dare you!"

"RIGHT!" said Simba with a cubbish growl and an angry look.

Simba turned away, and went walking towards the savannah. But Nala tried to stop him. She placed herself in front of him, and said: "NO, Simba! Don't go! It's too dangerous!"

"I will go!" said Simba, looking angrily at Nala. "I will go there, meeting Joe, bring him here, and prove you that I was right!"

And, with those words, Simba went away, without looking backwards.

Tama came close to Nala, and said: "Don't worry. Simba will return here. He won't accept the dare."

"He already accepted, Tama!" shouted Nala, almost crying. "He is out there… and it's because of me! If I, at least, pretended to believe him, he wouldn't have gone!"

"It is not your fault." said Tama, trying to comfort her. "But sitting here won't help you. Come! Let's look for some flowers."

"I will play only when Simba returns!" shouted Nala, and then she sat down and refused to get up.

Without Nala, Tama, or any other member of the pride knowing, Scar heard all the talking. He was preparing himself to go out, to hunt something for Zira to eat, because the old prey had been almost totally devoured, but he heard part of the talking. He assumed that Simba would go to meet his "ancestor", who ever it could be. The lion that Simba had met wasn't his ancestor for sure, but Simba had surely found some lion who lied to him, probably for Simba to take him food, according to what Scar discovered: that Simba had been taking some food of the pride's resources.

"Well, it came just in time." thought Scar, looking at the savannah. "Tonight… Mufasa will pay for all what he's done to me… tonight… Zira will be queen!"

So, Scar returned to his ledge, where Zira was lying down with the sleeping Kisasian. She raised her head, looked at Scar, and said: "Oh… Scar. What's the matter? I thought that you were going on the hunt. Not that I complain, because if you're not going, you can stay with me."

But Scar said: "Zira, I'm not going to hunt something to you, but I also can't stay here with you. I…"

Scar lowered his voice, and continued: "… will go to the Elephant Graveyard."

"To meet those hyenas." said Zira, narrowing slightly her eyes. "Why?"

"Zira… I know you don't like the hyenas." said Scar gently. "And honestly… I'm also a little bit mistrustful on some of them. But they are necessary for my plan. Listen: Simba went to the Outlands to meet some lion that he says to be his ancestor… if Mufasa goes there to save him, and the whole clan surprises him… in fact only half of the clan is necessary… and kills him, tonight, I will be king, and you will be queen!"

"Oh…" said Zira. "I… the plan seems good… but what if Mufasa survives?"

"He won't." said Scar, with a certain voice. "He's big and strong, but alone against fifty hyenas he hasn't the slightest chance. And think… when you're queen, you won't be marked as an outsider!"

"I will, most likely." said Zira, a little bit sad. "But this time they will have to accept me… us… without a choice."

"Precisely." said Scar. "Now… I must go. Goodbye, my queen!"

Scar licked Zira's forehead, and then he said to Kisasian, hugging him as gently as he could, for not to wake him up: "And goodbye to you to, my son."

Fortunately, Kisasian didn't wake up. And with those words, Scar left Pride Rock.

"I only hope that his plan works." said Zira, lying down again.

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"Shenzi!" called Scar, after having arrived to the Elephant Graveyard. "Banzai! Ed! Are you there?"

Most of the hyenas came out of their hideouts. And among them, were Scar's triplets. They walked towards Scar, and Shenzi said: "Good to see you, Scar! So, do you have any food for us?"

"No." said Scar. "I don't have any food for you."

Most of the hyenas seemed disappointed, but no one of them felt confident enough to protest, except Banzai, who said: "Oh… man…"

"But there's no problem." said Scar. "If everything turns out fine, tonight, you will be living in the Pride Lands!"

The disappointment of the hyenas disappeared completely, being replaced by a sudden joy. But again, no one of them felt confident enough to speak to Scar, except Shenzi, who said, bursting in joy: "Really?"

"Yes!" said Scar. "But you have to collaborate."

Ed laughed. Scar said: "I take that as: we'll do it."

Ed waved his head to say: "Yes."

Scar then said: "Alright… I need fifty hyenas: half of the clan, to go to the Outlands. There, you must look for Simba and Mufasa, and kill them both!"

"It's too easy!" shouted a voice somewhere from the clan.

"Alright then." replied Scar.

Then, Scar chose the fifty hyenas that would do the job, in which Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, were included, and all those hyenas left the Elephant Graveyard, going to the Outlands.

"It will be over soon." thought Scar. "But… I can't help it, but feel like a criminal by having to kill Simba… but he is Mufasa's son! He's an obstacle to the throne! He's a living monument of my failure in my relationship with Sarabi!"

Scar never thought that he could be still so affected by his now over relationship with Sarabi, even though he had Zira… and Kisasian… and he deeply loved them. But he said, in thought, while looking at the sky of the Elephant Graveyard, that was just mist, he thought: "Grandpa… grandma… mom… I hope you can forgive me this… but it's the only way."

And Scar exited the Elephant Graveyard, following his hyenas.

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Simba walked through the savannah, towards north, to the Outlands, the place where King Joe had gone, or at least, in the direction where King Joe had gone. He was really angry. Or maybe just disappointed. He thought that, after telling to the pride's cubs that he had the luck to see an honoured ancestor, he would be thought to be extremely lucky. Instead, he was described as mad… as crazy…

"Yet, they gave me the chance to prove that I'm right." thought Simba, walking in the grass. "I'll find King Joe, and take him to those idiots! But… what if Joe in fact isn't a king? He didn't even know how many sons he had!"

Simba was beginning to doubt of Joe and all of the stories that he had been told, and beginning to think that, after all, Joe could be a simple rogue lion, who tricked him to get food. However, Simba already had decided. Rogue lion or ancestor, he would find Joe and take him to the pride.

"Simba!" shouted a familiar voice. "Simba, wait!"

Simba turned backwards, and saw Nala running to him. Nala stopped a little bit, panting, and then she said: "Simba, wait…"

"What is it, Nala?" asked Simba, a little bit annoyed, and also a little bit angry with her.

"Simba… I want to apologize…" said Nala.

"Uh… I also want to apologize…" said Simba. "For being angry with you."

Nala let out a sigh of relief. But Simba turned back, and said: "Still, I won't drop the dare. I will find Joe, and take him to the Pride Lands, one way or another!"

"Don't go, Simba!" begged Nala. "Please…"

"I'm sorry, Nala…" said Simba, sighing. "But, if I don't go, Koza and Kianga will say again that I'm a coward. And I don't want that."

With those words, Simba kept walking towards the Outlands, without looking back to Nala, but then, Nala shouted: "Simba! Wait!"

"What is it, Nala?" asked Simba.

"I…" said Nala, hestitantly. "Will go with you."

"You will?" asked Simba, without believing it.

"Yes…" said Nala. "I will go with you."

"Thank you, Nala!" said Simba, hugging her.

But, on the moment later, both blushed, and stepped back a little bit, ashamed. It took some time before they managed to come close to each other again. And after that, they walked towards the Outlands.

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"Do you have any idea on how we will cross the river?" asked Nala, when they arrived to the Border River.

Both Nala and Simba were a little bit amazed. They had never seen so much water in their lives… they didn't even knew that there was so much water in the whole savannah! Fortunately, both had the instinct of swimming, like all the lions, but they hadn't used it before.

"Well…" said Simba, after thinking a little bit in Nala's question. "I guess that swimming."

"Uh… isn't there another way?" asked Nala, a little bit scared. "What about the crocodiles? We could use a tree trunk as a bridge. I think Tojo told us about one."

"I think it's useful if we practice some swimming." said Simba. "Besides, there are no crocodiles around!"

Nala in fact, wasn't seeing any crocodile, so, she and Simba entered the water carefully, and began swimming. But, even before they arrived to half of the river, they heard a scream: "HELP ME!"

Nala and Simba looked around, searching who screamed, and, after looking a little bit, they regreted it. Both noticed a tree, trapped in the middle of the river, with some of its longer branches out, and, in one of those branches, was a lion cub!

He had dark-grey fur, and a black head-tuft. And, below the lion cub, was a crocodile! The crocodile was quite small, and at each try, he was trying to grab the dark cub. He, on the other paw, was too high for the crocodile to reach him, but the tree branche that he was holding seemed fragile.

Nala looked terrified at the scene, and she felt even more scared when Simba, without hesitation, turned to the endangered cub, and began swimming towards him.

"Simba, no!" shouted Nala, but Simba didn't hear her. So, Nala did the only thing possible, and followed her friend.

Meanwhile, the branche where the dark cub with blue eyes was became less firm in its position. The crocodile stopped, and moved his head, opening his jaws and placing himself in a way where the cub would fall right on his mouth.

"Help me!" shouted the cub again with lost hope, when the branch began to break. "Help me!"

And then, someone in fact helped him. The surprised cub looked when he saw that another lion cub, a golden one, grabbed the crocodile's neck with extended claws. Because of his thick skin, the reptile barely felt it, but even so, he was disturbed enough to close his jaws and look backwards, trying to notice what was holding him. And right on time. The branche broke, but the cub fell on the crocodile's snout, and then on the water

"Run away!" shouted Simba to the dark cub, who swam to the bank on the Outlands as quickly as he could.

Meanwhile, the crocodile sook his head, and managed to take Simba off him. Simba landed on the water, and looked terrifiedly when he saw the crocodile swimming to him with wide-open jaws. Simba shrank himself against the tree as much as he could, but he couldn' avoid it.

But, right before the crocodile reached him, Nala jumped on the top of his mouth, and it closed.

"Move it!" shouted Nala.

Simba climbed to the tree, while Nala jumped off the crocodile and climbed the tree. Simba tried to climb the tree, to escape the crocodile, but the crocodile followed him. Simba slipped of the tree, and fell on the river again. Then, he noticed two branches of the tree that were quite together, and thought: "I have an idea."

So, Simba ran across the trunk, who was on the horizontal, and the crocodile followed him. Simba jumped by the middle of two branches, and the crocodile tried to catch him. But, exactly like Simba planned to, he became stuck!

"Let's go!" shouted Simba to Nala, who was still on the tree.

Both the cubs jumped back to the river and swam to the Outlands, where the dark cub already was. The cub seemed relieved, but then, his expression panicked, and he shouted: "Look out! Another crocodile! And it's a bigger one!"

Simba looked backwards without stopping to swim, but he managed to see what was happening. The first crocodile was still trapped between the two branches, but a second one, bigger, was chasing him and Nala!

Both Nala and Simba tried to speed up, but, in the water, the crocodile was way faster that any of them. So, Simba said to Nala: "Keep going! I'll slow him down!"

"But… Simba…" tried to say Nala.

"JUST DO IT!" shouted Simba.

And then, Nala kept swimming to the bank, but Simba turned right, hoping that the crocodile would follow him. He was right. The crocodile followed him. And then, Simba climbed on a small rock whose top came out of the water. The crocodile tried to reach him, but Simba managed to avoid him, and then jumped again on the river, still swimming to the bank with all his speed.

The crocodile got temporarially confused, because, with his jump to reach Simba, his belly stayed on the top of the stone, but both of his paws were in the water, so, he had some troubles to get free.

But, after moving his tail and his paws a lot, he managed to release himself, and swam to the golden cub, with even more speed.. Nala and the dark cub, paralysed by fear, didn't manage to do anything to help Simba.

Simba wasn't looking backwards, he was only swimming forward, but the crocodile was reaching him. If he was an adult lion, he would already be able to run on that place, which would allow him to run away of the crocodile, but he didn't manage to do it. He could feel the crocodile's breath on his head. The reptile had his mouth wide open, preparing to swallow his prey.

"I'm over…" thought Simba. "I shouldn't have accepted the dare…"

But, when everything seemed lost, Simba saw a dark brown animal jumping to the river, and giving a hard slap on the water. The crocodile felt temporarially disturbed with that, and the other animal grabbed Simba by the scruff, and ran to the bank, and came far enough of the river.

After that, he dropped Simba, and fell. Both Simba and the strange were panting heavily.

"Simba!" shouted Nala, running to him, with the blue-eyed cub following her.

Nala hugged Simba, and said: "You're my hero… you saved me…"

Simba was a little bit disturbed with Nala's hug, but he also hugged Nala. And then, they heard the other cub saying: "Uh… thanks. Thanks for saving me."

"What's your name?" asked Nala to the strange.

"I'm Shimo." said the blue-eyed cub.

"I'm Nala." said Nala.

"And I'm Simba." said Simba.

Shimo looked up to someplace behind Simba, and asked: "Who are you?"

And then, Simba remembered of the animal who had saved him, and turned to thank him. He got up, and looked at the animal that was behind him. And he became very surprised with who the animal was.

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The other animal was a lion. To be exact, it was Joe. Simba looked at Joe again, and Joe also looked at him.

"This is becoming quite a habit, isn't it?" asked the thin rogue, still panting.

Nala looked at Joe… and asked: "Who is he?"

Simba stood up, and said: "Nala, this lion is King Joe, my great-great-great-great-grandfather."

"Oh… here it goes again…" thought Joe. "I have to tell the truth to this kid. I can't keep lying to him."

But, before Joe could have time to deny it, they heard a shout: "Simba!"

They looked to the place where the voice came, and they saw Mufasa, running at Simba with full speed. Joe was a little bit scared, and tried to run away, but he failed, because he was still too tired. Mufasa stopped, and looked at both Simba and Nala with an angry look.

"Uh oh…" said Nala, a little bit guilty.

"Hello, dad…" said Simba, with a slightly scared voice.

Joe gulped in fear, but no one noticed it. Simba looked again at Mufasa, and Mufasa said: "Tama warned me that you two were here. At least, she seems to have a head over her shoulders! Unlike you two! What were you doing here?"

"Uh…" began Nala, without knowing how to explain in.

But it wasn't necessary, because Simba explained everything.

"I told Nala that I had met King Joe, the ancestor that I told you about, but Nala didn't believe me, and then Koza, Kianga and Tama made fun of me, they thought that I was lying, and then I told that I was telling the truth. Kianga dared me to find him and take him to the pride, and I came! Nala also came with me, but I didn't force her!"

"It's truth, Mr. Mufasa." said Nala. "Simba didn't force me. I came by free will."

Mufasa also looked at her, and Nala lowered her head, feeling very guilty. But her guilt couldn't compare with the guilt that Joe was feeling. Because of him, Simba had already risked his life twice, and Nala also had risked her life. And now, Mufasa was there. What would he do?

Then, Mufasa noticed Joe for the first time. He looked deep into his eyes, and he said: "You're Joe."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement, so Joe didn't have do confirm it. And, looking at the giant lion, he understood that he only had one thing to do. It was to confess everything to Simba. He turned to the prince of the Pride Lands, and said: "Simba, I'm not an ancestor of yours. I'm just a rogue lion that entered that place when a rock fell from the sky and almost killed me. And you saw me, and, when you promised me food, I decided to lie to you, and tell you that whole story."

Joe stopped for a moment, and then he continued: "When I noticed that the birds would make that I was discovered, I ran away. That's the truth."

Simba looked at Joe, seemingly disappointed, andthen he said, in a sad voice: "I am sad because you lied to me."

But then, he added with more normal voice: "But anyway, I thank you for having saved me, and, even if you're not an ancestor of mine… I still hope we can be friends!"

Simba looked at his father. Mufasa sighed, and then he turned to Joe, and said: "Sorry, Joe, but I can't accept you in my pride. My pride already has three males outside the royal family.But, because you saved the life of my son, I have to repay you. So… my kingdom is open for you to live and hunt."

"Thank you, sire." replied Joe, getting up, and bowing a little bit.

After that, Mufasa turned to Shimo, noticing him for the first time. He asked: "Who are you, little one?"

"I'm Shimo." replied Shimo to the giant lion.

He couldn't help but to feel a little bit scared. He thought that his father was a big lion, but that lion was as big as his father. He asked: "Could you take me home, please?"

"Where is your home?" asked Mufasa.

"Here, in the Outlands." replied Shimo.

"The Outlands?" asked Mufasa, confused. "Why is your pride living in the Outlands?"

"I don't have a pride." replied Shimo. "I live all alone with my father."

"Well…" asked Mufasa. "I guess that there's no problem in taking you home."

And so, Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Shimo and Joe walked deep into the Outlands.

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"This place is kind of barren." said Simba to Shimo, after they were in the Outlands, and Simba only saw termite mounds, barren rock, and almost no life around. "How can you live here with your father?"

"This place is fertile enough for us." replied Shimo. "And we're just two. It's easy. Some time ago, we were four, but now…"

"What happened to the other two? Who were they?" asked Nala.

But, before Shimo could answer, they heard some laughs. Hyena laughs.

"Hyenas!" said Shimo, terrified.

And it wasn't long before the hyenas decided to show themselves. Simba, Nala and Shimo decided to hide behind Mufasa and Joe, while the two bared their teeth and extended their claws at the hyenas. Soon after, fifty hyenas had shown up, baring their teeth and drooling. Simba and the others were surrounded by all the sides, except by one where a termite mound was. They used it as a shield, to prevent the hyenas from attacking them by behind, but, against so much of them, it was a poor consolation.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were on the lead, and they looked at Mufasa in an evil way. Mufasa growled at them. Shimo, Simba and Nala tried to sound like brave, and hissed, with their fur erected.

"Well, well…" said Shenzi. "If it isn't Mufasa…"

"Yeah…" said Banzai.

Ed laughed.

"What are you doing here?" asked Mufasa, almost growling.

"Looking for food." said Shenzi. "After you having exiled us from the Pride Lands, we have to look for food on the Elephant Graveyard and on the Outlands. And you, your scruffy friend, and the three cubs fit really well in that role."

"I'm not scruffy!" growled Joe.

"And now…"began Shenzi.

Then she shouted something that could be understood from the movement of her lips as "Attack!" but the only thing that they heard was a loud roar. But it wasn't from Mufasa.

They looked to where the roar came from, and saw an extremely big lion with dark-grey fur, black mane, and even darker eyes running at them, with pure hatred and anger on his look. The hyenas didn't get too worried, and five of them pounced on the lion. But the lion, with a single calculated blow, ripped apart their necks. The five hyenas fell on the ground, dead, and blood began spraying everywhere.

And, meanwhile, Mufasa and Joe used the moment of surprise caused by the strange lion's attack, and pounced on the remaining hyenas. Mufasa caught three of them under his paws, and, with a single smack, crushed their skulls.

Joe caught another one, and killed her with a bite on the neck arteries. More three hyenas turned at him, but Joe fought them bravely. Meanwhile, the dark lion had killed three more hyenas with a rather simple technique: jumping on their chests with full mass. The heavy lion crushed the hyena's chests only by landing, and, with crushed hearts, the hyenas were dead.

While that happened, Mufasa grabbed one hyena by the neck, killed it, and, waving his head, used it as a weapon to hit the other hyenas. Joe killed one more hyena with a blow on the neck, and then moved to the next one.

The hyenas were beginning to get in trouble. They still had numbers on their side, but Shenzi decided that they had lost too much hyenas in very little time, and said: "Retreat!"

All the hyenas ran away, following her, while Shimo ran to the strange lion.

"Dad!" shouted Shimo, hugging Bovu's paw.

Bovu also hugged Shimo, but then he looked at him more severely, and said: "Shimo… I told you to stay home while I was out hunting!"

"But…" said Shimo guiltily. "I was going to find you…"

"Well…" sighed Bovu, in a calmer voice. "I guess that I just have to take you with me from now on when I'm hunting. And you must begin to learn how to do it, anyway..."

Then, he looked at Mufasa, Simba, Nala, and Joe. He asked, maybe in an aggressive way: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Shimo said: "No! They are my friends, they saved me!"

He looked at Shimo again, and asked: "Who exactly saved you?"

"The male cub Simba, and the female cub, Nala!" said Shimo, pointing at Simba and Nala. "I was almost being devoured by a crocodile, when they saved me! They distracted the crocodile so that I could run away."

"Then thanks, to you two." said Bovu, bowing slightly to Simba and Nala. "Thanks for saving my son."

And then, he looked at Mufasa and Joe, and he asked: "And you… who are you?"

"I'm Joe…" replied Joe, shivering a little bit.

"I'm Mufasa." said Mufasa. "And if you want an advice, you should just leave the Outlands. They're kind of barren. If you want, the northern side of my kingdom may be open for you to hunt…"

Bovu's mane bristled a little bit, and he bared his teeth. He wasn't paying too much attention to Mufasa's words, busy with his thoughts.

"Mufasa…" thought Bovu. "So… the king came for me to kill him? Well, I wanted Ahadi, but he fits as well. That's just perfect… tonight, I will kill him… avenge my parents… and make his family pay for leaving me orphaned… Orphaned! If I kill Mufasa, I will let Simba orphaned… but who cares? I will kill Simba as well… kill Simba? When he just saved Shimo? I will… I will leave them go. And besides… Mufasa is offering me hunting ground… he's being quite kind… and he hasn't fault of having the father that he had!"

Bovu calmed down, and he only said: "Mufasa, I thank you for the offer, but I can't accept it. Don't worry, my son and I are well enough here."

Then, he turned to Shimo, and said: "Shimo, let's go home. Say goodbye to Simba and Nala."

The farewells took some time, that Simba and Nala also used to tell about their pride, family, and land to Shimo. Shimo listened quite excited, while Joe, Mufasa, and Bovu watched them. When they finished, Bovu grabbed Shimo by the scruff, and took him home, while Simba and Nala climbed on Mufasa's back and went to the Pride Lands.

During all that time, no one had noticed Scar, hiding behind a rock. He had been watching everything, and was quite bored with the failure of his plan.

"But maybe it's better like that." thought Scar. "That Joe, those Bovu and Shimo, and Nala could have been killed. I don't want deaths of innocent ones... I didn't even want the deaths of those hyenas…"

And then, Scar turned back, and returned to the Elephant Graveyard.

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"Simba…" said Mufasa, while they were still on the Outlands, walking to the tree trunk that was meant to be a bridge. "I'm still angry with you… but I'm also proud of you… You saved a life…"

Simba felt a little bit happy… and felt somewhat ashamed when he felt Nala licking his cheek… but then, he heard some crying.

"Dad… who's crying?" asked Simba, confused.

"I don't know…" said Mufasa, thoughtfully. "It seems to come from here…"

Mufasa and Joe walked towards the crying, and they saw, at the side of a termite mound, a small female lion cub. She had tawny fur, a darker tail-tuft, and brown eyes. She was crying, but she noticed when the two males approached, and shrank herself in fear. The cub seemed about two months younger than Simba and Nala.

"Who are you?" asked Mufasa.

The cub said, wiping off tears: "I'm Nuru."

"Nice to meet you." said Nala, smiling at her.

"Same for me!" said Simba.

But then, Nuru began crying again.

"What's going on?" asked Mufasa. "Why you're crying?"

"My… mom… died…" sobbed Nuru, hiding her head in her front paws. "She… fell from a cliff… somewhere here…"

She cried even more. Nala hugged her. Simba couldn't help but to cry a little bit as well. A cub loose her mother like that… they already had an orphaned cub in the pride… now they could have another one… why so many cubs seemed to loose their mothers when they were lone ones? Or they simply found many cubs with bad luck? Or the Outlands were a too dangerous place?

Nala stopped hugging Nuru, and she said: "Don't worry, Nuru, you can come with us. My parents will take care of you. Right, Mr. Mufasa?"

Mufasa hesitated a little bit… but then he said: "Well, Nuru lost her mother, so… yes, she can come with us."

Nuru felt a lot happier when she heard that Mufasa would accept her in the pride. Joe bented down, Nuru climbed on his back, and they kept their way to the Pride Lands.

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Bovu placed Shimo on the small dead tree trunk where Shimo slept, and then Shimo said: "Now, dad, I want you to explain me one thing."

"Yes, Shimo?" asked Bovu.

"You told me some days ago that it would come the day when we would go to the Pride Lands… you would become king, I would become prince, and we would live there!" said Shimo, seeming disappointed.

He had been expecting during the last days to go to the magic place of his father's story, and then to play there… be prince and future king... and instead… he just stayed in the Outlands!

"Well…" said Bovu slowly. "The Pride Lands are a safe place, there's no doubt of that, and I thought that, if I took down Mufasa, I would become king. You could take some female cub as your mate… perhaps even Nala…"

"And so?" asked Shimo.

"But then I remembered of Simba… and of how I had been left orphaned… it wasn't fair if I left him orphaned as well. And after that, I remembered of all the kindness that Simba, Nala, and Mufasa showed to us… Simba and Nala saved you, risking their own lives, and Mufasa risked his own life and kingship by allowing a rogue lion in using his kingdom to hunt. So, we stay here, in our old home, until you are older."

"But it's not fair!" said Shimo. "Why they have to get everything, and we nothing?"

"Life is rarely fair." said Bovu, stroking his son's head. "And fairness of life… well, just see. We are still alive… we have been getting enough food to be well nourished… so, how can you say that life is not fair?"

/"Life is unfair" song. Tune is a little bit happy, contrasting a little bit with the words of the song. Bovu goes away, and Shimo jumps of the trunk, to follow him./

First verse: Bovu

_It's hard to explain it, but I'll try_

_Life is fair for some, for others not_

_What ever it is for us, we can get by_

_But we must think in a good plot_

/Bovu goes to a chamber where we can see some bones of a fresh kill. Bovu grabs one, and breaks it, revealing the bone marrow. He gives one of the halves of the bone to Shimo, who begins sucking the bone marrow./

_The main objective is to stay alive_

_However we may need some tricks_

_We must remember them to survive_

_And to use whatever we can pick_

/Bovu sucks some bone marrow, and then he spits his half of the bone. He jumps on a ledge of the termite mound. The camera focuses on Bovu, but still allows us to see Shimo sucking the bone marrow./

Chorus: Bovu

_Life is unfair, but we are alive_

_Some creatures just don't get along_

/Bovu crushes a lizard that was passing by, and swallows it./

_The fairness simply is not objective_

_That may be seen as right or wrong_

/Camera changes to Shimo. He has finished sucking his bone marrow. He tries to come out of the termite mound, but then Bovu chases him and steps on his tail, stopping him./

_We will stay alive, but for how long?_

_I just can't guess such a thing_

_But we will fight, we will get along_

_For that we must use whatever life brings_

/Shimo: /Looking to Bovu/ So, life is being fair, or unfair to us?

Bovu: /Camera changes it's perspective, and we instead see Bovu from backwards, looking to the entrance of the termite mound/ I don't know. If we are intending as fair, to have a paradise full of food to eat, and a pride to take care of us, life is beign unfair. But, if you take as fair that life allowed you to survive, and to eat enough food to be well nourished, we can say that life is being quite fair./

Second verse: Shimo

_What a dark answer that question has_

_So I'll go out there, to uncover the black _

/Camera changes to outside the termite mound. We see Shimo coming out of it, and Bovu following him./

_I can go alone, what ever it brings_

_And I don't care with jumping a crack_

/They pass close to a big crack in the ground. Shimo prepares himself to jump the crack, but its edge doesn't hold on, and he almost falls. Bovu grabs him right on time, and pulls him away. Bovu sighs relieved. Shimo jumps the crack, and Bovu follows him./

_I know it may be dangerous to give a try_

_But it's better if we discover the answer_

/Camera steps back. We notice that Bovu and Shimo are seeing a fight between a snake and a mongoose. The snake tries to bite the mongoose, but the mongoose dodges her, and bites her neck. The snake dies./

_However some answers just aren't revealed_

_There are some secrets that stay there_

/Camera changes to Bovu and Shimo returning to the termite mound./

Chorus: Bovu and Shimo

_Life is unfair, but we are alive_

_Some creatures just don't get along_

/The camera temporarially focuses on the mongoose eating the snake. Then, it focuses on Bovu and Shimo again./

_The fairness simply is not objective_

_That may be seen as right or wrong_

/Camera changes to inside the termite mound. We see Bovu and Shimo coming in. Then, camera changes to Shimo jumping on his trunk that he uses as bed, and to Bovu lying down at the side of the trunk./

_We will stay alive, but for how long_

_I just can't guess such a thing_

_But we will fight, we will get along_

_For that we must use whatever life brings_

/Bovu and Shimo lie down, and fall asleep. Music stops./

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Meanwhile, Mufasa, Simba, Joe, Nala, and Nuru had already returned to the Pride Lands. Mufasa had introduced Nuru to the pride, and she was taken in by Sarafina and Moyo. Joe had confessed everything to the whole pride, a little bit ashamed, but the pride forgave him, and he went away, looking for some place to settle.

Simba went to speak with Koza, Kianga, and Tama, after that being solved.

"Uh…" said Koza. "So… I guess you were part right, after all. You thought that you had known a Great King of the Past."

"And we were wrong." said Kianga, ashamed. "You didn't drop the dare."

Simba looked at Tama, and she said: "Look, Simba, I'm sorry for having told to your father that…"

"Don't worry, Tama." said Simba. "In the end, we both proved to be right. I got the dare, and you proved that I hadn't met a Great King of the Past. Dad said… by the way, where's dad?"

They didn't see Mufasa. They looked around, but the king was no where to be seen. He had gone to Scar and Zira's ledge.

Scar was there, with his mate, and his son, and got up when he saw Mufasa arriving.

"What do you want?" asked Scar, whispering to his brother, but in an aggressive voice.

"Do you know who we found today?" asked Mufasa, baring his teeth.

"No, why?" asked Scar.

"Your hyena pups!" said Mufasa. "Not pups now, but we found them. And they tried to kill me, Simba, and Nala. It's better for you that this isn't one of your plots, or I…"

Mufasa closed his claws of his brother's throat, but Scar was undisturbable, and said, with a voice washed out of emotions: "Those hyenas are beyond the Pride Lands. They must get for any food that appears. It's not my fault that you offer yourself and your son as food for them."

"Watch your tongue!" said Mufasa, almost inflicting a blow on his brother's neck.

But Zira got up, looked at Mufasa, and said, angrily: "You better not do that… if so…"

"You stay out of this, outsider!" growled Mufasa, delivering a blow on Zira's head. She instantly fell to the ground – not unconscious, but dizzy anyway.

And then, it happened. Scar leapt to Mufasa while he was distracted, and, even being weaker, managed to pin him on his back. He placed one paw over the bigger lion's throat, closed his face of Mufasa's face, and said with menacing voice: "If I ever see you touching my mate again…"

"Is that a challenge?" almost shouted Mufasa.

"Quiet!" said Scar. "You'll awake your nephew!"

Scar released his big brother, he got up, and, without more words, he went away, looking one last time at Scar, Zira, and Kisasian.

When he was gone, Scar slapped the ground with his paw, and whispered angrily: "I failed! I failed, Zira! I didn't get the throne... for me… for you… and for Kisasian…"

"Hush…" said Zira, hugging Scar. "Don't worry. You'll always be my king. And Kisasian will always be my prince."

Scar felt himself calmer, and then he lied down at Zira's side, with Kisasian lying against Zira, but, in his mind, he had a promise: "Someday, Zira… someday I will make myself king… and I'll make you queen…"

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_What did you think? Just for those who do not know, Nuru is the most common fan-name to the lioness that says to Kiara "My, how you've grown!" on TLKII:Simba's Pride. Other people most commonly assume her to be Sarafina... but Sarafina and that lioness don't have anything alike, even in voice. And one thing. In case you are confused about the relationship between Scar and Zira in my vision... I'm one of those who believe that, if Scar ever truly loved a lioness, it was Zira. I'm not even sure if someone thinks like me... but I think like that, simply. If you have some comments on that question, I'm open to receive your opinions through PM._


	20. Chapter 19: Simba's new brother

_Well, here it is a new chapter. Malka (male) is copyrighted to the authors of a comic titled "Simba's new brother". Sura (female) is Malka's mother, from the same comic, but because she is unnamed in the comic, I gave her a name. The Snowy Mountains are my place, and are not to be used without my permission._

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**Chapter 19 – Simba's new brother**

It passed a month since the day when Simba and Nala went to the Outlands and met Shimo and Bovu, and also ended allowing Joe to stay in the Pride Lands and hunt. Joe made occasional appearances on Pride Rock to see Simba and Nala and play with them, and the cubs quite liked that.

Maybe Joe didn't know any real story about his own kingship, but, as a once-rogue lion, he had many real adventures, and he didn't care about telling the cubs of the pride about some of them.

Nuru and Kilia, the cubs adopted by the pride, were also getting quite happy with living in the Pride Lands, because their adopted mothers were nice to them. Kula and Kilia kept with their rivalry about Tojo, but the blue-eyed male, busy with taking care of his adopted birds, paid limited attention to that.

Kisasian, the son of Scar and Zira, was growing into a healthy cub, and quite fast. Only with two weeks old, he began to walk, and said his three first words, that were, respectively: "Dad", "Mom" and "Simba". And, with four weeks old, he already could run and talk. Normally, three weeks passed before a cub managed to walk, and six weeks before a cub managed to run.

Zira told to Scar that he only grew up faster than Pridelander cubs, because cubs from Desert Lionesses have to grow up faster, in order to live in their hard environment. But Scar didn't care with that. He was only happy that his son was growing healthy, and mainly, intelligent. He and his cousin Simba were good friends. That was the main part that Scar and Zira (and also Mufasa and Sarabi) disliked, but they did nothing to stop Simba and Kisasian's big friendship.

Probably, the most important thing happening in that month was the birth of Sarafina and Moyo's second cub. It was a male, and was called Mheetu. Nala finally had her wish of having a little brother granted.

But, after a month of calm, problems returned to the Pride Lands. Alright, maybe not exactly problems, but at least, new things. It all begam when Simba and Nala were playing fight, watched by Sarabi and Sabini (Sarafina was still in Pride Rock with Moyo and Mheetu), Nala pinned Simba on his back (again), and a strange cub came close to the quartet.

He had a black head-tuft, sandy-brown fur, a paler tail-tuft, and brown eyes. He came close to the two lionesses and the two cubs. The queen and her sister were the first ones to notice him.

"Do you know who he is?" asked Sabini.

"No…" said Sarabi thoughtfully. "He's probably lost from his pride. Poor little thing!"

Nala heard Sarabi and Sabini's talking, and looked behind to see the cub, but without releasing Simba. The prince complained: "Get off, Nala! You're hurting me!"

The strange cub had come close enough to see the unusual scene: a male cub being pinned by a female cub. He commented: "Wow! What a brave little lioness! You didn't stand a chance against her!"

"Nala and I were only playing fight, if you must know!" said Simba, rubbing his hurt belly.

"Nala! What a beautiful name." said the cub. "My name is Malka! Can I play with you?"

Nala approached Malka, apparently liking the elogies that he was giving her, but Simba wasn't as enchanted with the new cub's presence. In fact, he was rather jealous that Nala was paying more attention to a stranger than to him.

"He's such a slimeball." said Simba, but neither Nala or Malka heard him, because they were busy talking with each other.

But suddenly, Malka stopped his talking with Nala, and turned his head to look at something. And his expression changed. He bared his teeth, and said: "Hey, just a second…"

And then, he charged to two hyenas, that were trying to steal the remains of an impala that Sarabi and Sabini had hunted as a light meal for them and the two cubs. He said, in a cubbish growl: "What do you think you're doing, stealing food from lions? Go away!"

Malka alone had no chance of scaring the two hyenas, but the charge of the cub surprised the hyenas, and made them to step back. That gave enough time to Sarabi and Sabini to get up and charge at the hyenas. Sabini roared to scare them, while Sarabi said: "Well done, little one. We hadn't noticed those hungry hyenas!"

"And don't come back!" shouted Malka, while the hyenas ran away, terrified.

Meanwhile, Mufasa arrived to the place with Zazu riding on his shoulder, and he came on the right time to see Malka charging at the hyenas, right before Sarabi and Sabini got up. He went to Simba, and said: "That little cub is very brave, whoever he is."

"He only saved a couple of half eaten bones!" snorted Simba, annoyed with the attention that his father was paying to the new cub.

Nala didn't speak, she only looked at Malka with some obvious adore, perhaps even with some cubbish love. Simba wasn't liking that. A strange cub was getting more attention than him, when he was the prince!

With the hyenas scared away, Sarabi and Sabini made a question to Malka. Simba, focused on being jealous of the other cub, didn't hear Malka's talking with his mother and aunt.

But probably, he would soon know, because Sarabi went to meet Mufasa, and said: "The little cub is called Malka. He said that he lost his pride and he has been searching them for the last days."

Mufasa thought for a little bit, and then he gave an order to his majordomo: "Keep a look out for his pride, Zazu."

The blue hornbill flew off Mufasa's shoulder, and then Mufasa said: "In the mean time, he is welcome to stay with our pride. Simba, I hope you don't mind if we take care of him during that time. You must keep an eye on him, OK?"

"B-b-but what if he never finds his pride?" asked Simba, getting a bit scared with the idea of having the slimeball Malka with him for many time.

"Then, he will stay with us forever…" started Mufasa.

"… and you will have a new brother!" concluded Sarabi, smiling.

Simba didn't stay anything, because his jaw had dropped from amazed. Having the annoying Malka as his brother?

"It is a dream!" thought Simba, almost shaking in fear. "It was to be a dream. And I have to wake up! I don't want him to be my brother. He's just a little show-off. Besides, a prince is enough for this pride!"

Unfortunately for the prince, it wasn't a dream. It was the reality. Mufasa went to Malka, and asked him if he would like to have a walk on the Pride Lands before meeting the pride. Malka accepted, so, Sarabi and Mufasa took him on a guided tour around the Pride Lands. Simba just stayed there, too scared and amazed to do anything, or even to think.

After completing the tour around the Pride Lands, Mufasa, Malka and Sarabi returned to the cave, and they introduced Malka to every member of the pride that was in the cave. Most of the pride was there. In fact, all the important members of the pride were there, and they got to know that Malka would stay with them until his pride was found. It seemed that it would be for one night, because, when the sun was setting, Zazu returned, saying he didn't found any possible member of Malka's pride.

"The pride has been adopting quite some cubs lately." said Tibuka to her sister Chafua, when Simba and Nala (Simba a little bit reluctantly) introduced Malka to them.

"Yeah…" agreed Chafua. "First Kilia, after Nuru, and now that Malka."

"Nala told me that you like to play in the mud." said Malka to the two cubs. "Is that true?"

"Yes…" said Tibuka shyly.

"I also did it once." said Malka, giggling. "It was fun. But… my mother punished me so much (because I got a lot dirty) when I did it, that I don't dare to do it again. By the way, why your mother doesn't punish you?"

"Lack of moral, most likely." said Leo, who was just passing by. "I remember that, when she was a cub, she also liked to play in the mud."

But Malka barely heard it, because he went off exploring.

One thing was sure: Simba was jealous of Malka, but both the cubs had a lot of things in common. One of them was to want to explore everything. So, he left the main cave, and went to explore the whole Pride Rock. And, when he came to one unknown ledge, he found a couple that scared him a little bit.

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Scar and Zira were lying on their usual ledge with Kisasian. Their son was insisting that he was old enough to get out of Pride Rock, but his parents insisted that he was too young. Mainly Scar. According to Zira, cubs on the desert are allowed to leave the cave when they are one month old. In the pride, only Zira and Scar knew it.

But, after many complains from the cub, and some additional agreeing of Zira, they decided that Kisasian could go out on the next day.

"Really, dad?" asked Kisasian. "I can go out tomorrow?"

"Yes, Kisasian." sighed Scar. "You can go out tomorrow."

"Great!" said Kisasian happily. "I got to tell Simba!"

He didn't notice his parents snorting at the sound of his cousin's name, and started running away. But he stopped, when he noticed the unknown cub. He made an inquiring stare, and asked: "Who are you?"

Before Malka could give an answer, Simba appeared in the ledge, and said, in a bored voice: "Malka, mom and dad are calling you."

Then, he noticed his uncle and aunt, and said, in a happier voice:"Oh, hi uncle Scar, hi aunt Zira!"

Scar and Zira gave a brief nod to Simba, and after that they turned away.

"Your uncle and aunt scare me." said Malka to Simba.

"Hey, you're talking about my parents." shouted Kisasian.

Kisasian wasn't liking too much of the new cub, who seemed to lack in education. Even if his parents really could scare someone, what Kisasian thought to be false, Malka would keep quiet, mainly in front of their son.

"It's rather obvious that you're their son." thought Malka. "You look quite like a copy of Scar."

Then he turned to Simba, and added: "So, Mufasa and Sarabi called me? Alright, I'll go."

"Yeah…" said Simba.

And then he said to his cousin, in a more friendly way: "See ya tomorrow, Kisasian… oh, and by the way, Uncle Scar and Aunt Zira let you to go out tomorrow?"

"Yes!" said Kisasian, smiling.

"Good…" said Simba. "I will tell it to Nala…" then he remembered that Nala should be busy with Malka, or maybe with her brother Mheetu, and said instead: "Tomorrow we'll play! See ya!"

With those words, both Simba and Kisasian returned to their parents.

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That night was almost a normal night for the whole pride. The only difference was that the pride had one new cub sleeping, and that led to some discussions. Simba used to sleep lying against his mother, but he discovered that Malka also wanted to sleep at Sarabi's side. He was annoyed, but the worst part was that Malka also seemed to have problems in finding a good sleeping position, and while trying to do it, he often disturbed Simba, who was already on a good sleeping position. Finally, Simba lost his patience, and shouted: "DO YOU WANT TO STOP THAT?"

"Sorry." said Malka, yawning. "I was only seeing if I relaxed."

And then, Malka lied down on his good sleeping position, and fell asleep.

"Finally!" said Simba, before lying down.

Fortunately, no one seemed to wake up with Simba's shout, except two lions. The two lions that woke up with the shout were Tojo and Mega. The older lion looked to his grandson, who looked back, but without moving, for not to wake up the birds that were sleeping cuddled against him, and then Mega whispered: "It seems that Simba has a big problem accepting Malka in his family."

"Yeah." said Tojo.

The blue-eyed male cub didn't like too much Malka, because he made fun of him when Tojo introduced the birds, and said that Tojo would end up turning into a bird if he kept hanging around with them. But still, Tojo felt some pity for him. He had lost his pride, maybe forever. It should be quite traumatizing for him. And… even if he returned to his pride, would they accept him back?

Tojo shared his fears with his grandfather, but the orange-maned lion only said: "Hush, Tojo. Don't worry about that. Sleep."

Then, he patted his grandson's head, and lied down. Tojo also lied down, and soon fell asleep. Mega fell asleep shortly after, but he dreamed again… about a cub who had returned to his pride… and wasn't exactly accepted…

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Mega walked to Pride Rock, after having a good day with his young daughter Jani, giving her some hunting lessons. His daughter learned quite fast, and Mega was proud of her. When they returned at the sunset, Jani was riding on her father's back, lying in his thick mane, very happy.

But Mega became less happy, or better to say a little bit more worried, when he saw Uru and Laini, sitting on a small hill, looking towards north. He said to his daughter: "Uh, Jani, could you please go to your mother? I need to do something."

"What, dad?" asked Jani, confused.

He looked at Uru and Laini, and said: "To talk with the queen and her mother."

And, before his daughter made more questions, he added: "It's grown up's stuff. Go. Please."

"Oh… alright." said Jani, resignating with that fact.

And then, Mega walked to Uru and Laini. He cleared his throat to show his presence. Uru and Laini looked to him with worried stares, but they seemed to calm down when they noticed that the lion was Mega.

"Oh, it's just you, Mega." said Uru, in a relieved voice.

"My queen… and my lady…" said Mega, bowing. "Can I speak with you?"

"Yes, my boy, you can." said Laini, smiling a little bit, but not for long.

"And you don't need to be so official." said Uru. "You can call me by my name, and my mom as well, I think."

"Yes, you can." said Laini.

But they avoided answering the question. They just kept looking north, endlessly, like if looking would make something to come out of there. So, Mega looked, and answered for them: "You're worried with Taka… I mean Scar…"

The queen and her mother looked to him severely for some time, and he got sorry with doing that. But Uru said: "That's right. We are worried with Taka."

"I only hope that he's still alive." said Laini.

Mega knew that Taka, most likely, wasn't still alive. Scar, on the other paw, could be still alive. He had been seen by Mufasa only two weeks ago, and was because of him that they knew of Mohatu's location, when the great king had died. But it wasn't sure that, just because the cub had survived two weeks, would survive two more weeks.

On that time, Mega's worries were temporarially ignored, because he heard a sound. It was Ahadi, that was returning from his day with Mufasa, Sarabi, Sabini, Sarafina and Leo. The four cubs had began to hang around with Mufasa and his father, and they quite liked it. Ahadi noticed Uru, Laini and Mega, and went to them.

"You look worried." said Ahadi, going to his mate. "Are you alright?"

Uru looked at him angrily, and, in that moment, she spat: "You don't even care about your son!"

"Oh…" growled Ahadi, annoyed. "You mean the lazy Taka, the one who has no potential at all, the one who tried to hit his brother?"

"The one that you…" began Uru to say.

But, before she managed to say more, Ahadi roared: "SILENCE!"

And, then, he extended his claws, bared his teeth, and added: "Or I…"

"Is that a threat?" asked Uru, staring directly into Ahadi's eyes, with bared teeth.

The queen and the king's faces were so close now that their noses were almost touching. They looked at each other's eyes, with no one of them wanting to look away. Ahadi was the first to lower his eyes, but he wasn't less angry because of that.

"Alright!" roared the king again. "Just wait for the lazy bones! Let's go, Mufasa!"

Mufasa and Ahadi went away, followed by Sabini, Sarafina, and Leo, but Sarabi stayed. Sarafina turned around, and shouted: "Sarabi, what are you doing there? Come on!"

But Sarabi wanted to stay some more time. To wait for Scar… he seemed so cute… and also so nice and caring for his grandfather (otherwise he wouldn't have warned the pride), and he was returning!

On that moment, Laini said, looking at the horizon: "I can see him! He's coming!"

Ahadi looked to where Laini was looking, and saw that his mother-in-law was right. There was a spot on the horizon that was slowly increasing it's size, and had the colour of Taka's fur… of his mother's fur… of Tarki's fur… of Hamu's fur…

Uru and Laini tried to rush to meet him, but Ahadi growled: "You stay there! I'll go and meet him!"

And Ahadi stepped some meters forward, to meet his son first, while Uru and Laini, deeply contraried, stayed there. But, when the spot came closer, and another spot with sandy colour joined the first one, the king realized realized that it was not only his son. It was also a strange cub… a female cub… that, in a way, looked like Taka and had some of his facial and body features.

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"That lion is my father." said Scar to Zira, when he saw that they were coming close to Pride Rock. "The brown lioness is my mother, and the yellow-orange lioness is my grandmother."

Zira looked at Scar's mother and grandmother, but she focused her red eyes on Ahadi, looking at him like hypnotized by fear.

"He scares me…" said Zira, shaking a little bit in fear. "What will you do now? How will you react to him? After he having exiled you?"

"I will ignore him." said Scar. "And you… just do like I do."

When Scar and Zira came close to Ahadi, he saw that his son had a scar over his left eye… a mark of the attack received. The king shook those feelings away, and growled: "So,you return here, eh, you lazybones Taka? Well, I never thought you would have survived, but now…"

He stopped his talking when he saw that Scar passed by him ignoring him completely. He didn't seem affected at all. Ahadi growled, in an attempt of not to be ignored: "Answer to your father when he's talking with you, Taka!"

And he managed to get his son's attention… but not in the way that he expected. Scar looked at him, and said, with a voice completely washed out from emotions, strange in a cub with only seven months: "Taka died. You killed him, father, around one month ago, before exiling me. Remember? My name is Scar."

And he turned away, without one word. The strange cub, however, passed by Ahadi with slow steps, quivering with fear, but trying her best for not to show it. Ahadi growled, and the strange cub almost ran away from fear, but she tried her best to calm down and walk normally.

Then, Scar went to his mother and grandmother, and, for the first time since he had returned there, he showed a smile.

"It's good to see you, mom. It's good to see you, grandma." said Scar, rubbing against his mother's paw, and then against his grandmother's paw.

"It's good to see you too, Taka." said Laini, licking her grandson on forehead.

"Oh…" said Scar, combing his head tuft with his right paw. "You messed up my mane!"

But Uru was more worried. She looked at the scar over her son's left eye, and asked: "Taka… my dear… is that hurting you?"

"Not at all, mom." replied Scar, but Uru looked carefully at her son's eyes and noticed that, in fact, the scar was hurting.

Maybe not physically, but psycologically. But Laini noticed that, and decided to change the talking theme, when she noticed Zira.

"It's funny." thought Laini, looking at Zira. "She remembers me about someone… but I can't remember exactly who… who can that be?"

But she only added loud: "Taka, who is your new friend?"

On that moment, Uru also asked: "Yes, who is your new friend?"

Scar walked to Zira, and whispered at her ear: "Don't worry. I'm here."

But he added loud: "Mom, grandma, this is my friend Zira. We met each other during the last month, when I was… absent."

"It's nice to meet you, my dear." said Uru, gently hugging Zira and licking her face.

Laini also hugged Zira, but then, Zira looked around, to see the other members of the pride that were there. She noticed a lion with dark-golden fur, and orange mane, who also said "Nice to meet you." and stroked her head affectionattely… a golden male cub…

"It is probably Mufasa." thought Zira. "He has the same colour that Scar's father. But who is that lioness cub with pale-golden fur and dark ear-stripes?"

On that time, Zira's eyes narrowed a little bit and she did nothing to hide it, because the other cub had a quite simmilar expression. And should be having the same thought.

"Who is that one?" asked Sarabi in mind. "She is… Scar's girlfriend? No way! Not as long as I have something to say."

Sarabi was still a cub, and quite older than Zira, but even in cubbish crushes, one of the members of the couple felt threatened with the possibility of a rival. Zira was having simmilar thoughts… and noticed the way how Scar was looking at that cub.

"I didn't know that Scar had a girlfriend." thought Zira. "It's a shame… he's cute… and strong… I thought that I would be his girlfriend… but I won't make anything to break them apart. If Scar really likes her, let it be…"

She was feeling a little bit sad, but then Ahadi's voice sounded: "She cannot stay here."

"Why not?" growled Uru, angry.

"Because I am the king, I don't want an outsider in my pride. I said that I don't want her here." said Ahadi.

"If you want to banish her, you have to banish me again!" said Scar.

"Then so…"

"Ahadi!" roared Mega.

He was getting quite angry with his friend's attitude. He knew that Ahadi was deeply marked by his past, with marks impossible to remove, and that Taka only had awakened, but it wasn't fair to avenge on him, and even less in Zira. So, he had to do something.

Ahadi turned to Mega, and said: "Don't interrupt me, Mega! I'm the king, I decide…"

"She is just a cub!" roared Mega. "She won't survive alone! They won't survive alone. Act rationally."

And he added in a quieter whisper: "If you loved your mother, father, and mate think rationally. Please."

"Don't speak about them!" roared the king again.

But on the moment after he took a deep breath, and said: "Alright. Let's make a deal. If any lioness outside the royal family accepts Zira, she can stay with the pride."

"To tell that or that she can't stay is the same." thought Uru bitterly.

That was because Ahadi had already began spreading the story that Scar was the evil one, and that he tried to kill Mufasa, and Mufasa was the one who gave him the scar, in self-defence. But, on that moment, a voice came: "What's going on here?"

They turned around, and saw Uzuri coming with Sakia. Sakia looked around, and, when she saw Scar, she ran to him, and said, giving him a hug: "It's good to see you… Scar."

For a moment, she wondered if she should have said "Taka", but, because of what happened in the last time that she called him by his name, she called him "Scar". Scar hugged her back, and said: "It's also good to see you, Sakia."

Then, Sakia noticed Zira. She looked at her for one moment, and said with a smile: "Hello. Who are you?"

Scar stepped forward, and said: "Zira, this is my friend Sakia. Sakia, this is my friend Zira. I met her during the month that I was… absent."

"But what's going on here?" asked Uzuri again.

Then, she looked at Scar, and said: "Hello Taka…"

"Scar." whispered Sakia to Uzuri.

"What does that mean?" whispered Uzuri back.

Then, she noticed the scar, and said: "Oh… I see…"

And then she turned to Zira: "Hello, little one. Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm Zira." said Zira, looking at the strange lioness. "And…"

But, before Zira managed to say more,Uru went to Uzuri, and said: "Ahadi said that Zira can stay with us, if there is one lioness in the pride that accepts her…"

Uzuri narrowed her eyes… if the lionesses heard that Zira was Scar's friend, she wouldn't be adopted by anyone… except by… herself.

"It's all right." said Uzuri. "She can stay with me…" she turned to Sakia, and added: "If you don't mind, that is."

"No, I don't mind, Uzuri." said Sakia. "She can stay with us… if she wants."

Zira looked at Uzuri for some time. The lioness was in fact willing to accept her as an own cub… was welcoming her with an amazing speed. Zira thought for some seconds, and then she said: "Yes, I want to stay with you."

Ahadi growled of irritation, but it was done. Zira had been accepted by the pride. The lions walked into the cave of Pride Rock, but Zira and Sarabi were constantly giving angry looks at each other.

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Mega woke up, and looked around. The cave in Pride Rock was dark, with all the pride sleeping. Jani was sleeping at his side, and Tojo was sleeping at her mother's side, with the six birds.

The lion recalled the images of his nightmare for some time. He sighed, and concluded: "It's a good thing that Uzuri decided to adopt Zira. Not even one of the other lionesses outside the royal family wanted to let her stay. Not even Mimea."

Mega yawned, wiped off a tear that came to his left eye when he thought about his mate, shook his mane, and then he fell asleep, this time not dreaming at all.

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On the next morning, Simba woke up early, like he usually did, and he discovered that Kisasian was also woken up. He was really excited with the idea of going outside for the first time, and was also enthusiasmed with the idea of going with Simba. Simba was also enthusiasmed. But the excitement of the cubs went away when Malka appeared and asked to Simba if he wanted to play with him, because Nala was with her grandmother. Kisasian went away, and Simba was left alone with Malka. The idea quite scared him, but then he had an idea, and said that Malka and he could play hide-and-seek in a place that he knew. Malka followed him until they arrived to a rock labyrint.

"The great King Mufasa won't regret letting me join the pride!" said Malka when they were almost arriving to the gorge.

Simba snorted, but Malka didn't hear it, and continued: "Now he has two brave and strong lion sons!"

"But hopefully not for long!" added Simba in mind, when they were entering the rocks.

Sometime after coming inside them, Malka, remembering of what Simba said about playing hide-and-seek, began getting a little bit scared, and said: "It is really great here, but… um… how do we find our way back?"

"Not a problem Malka!" said Simba, with a slightly mean grin. And he added in mind: "At least not for me!"

Simba left Malka sitting down, and said, while running away: "This place is perfect for playing hide-and-seek! I hide first, and then you come after me, OK?"

"O… OK, Simba…" said Malka, but he was getting a little bit scared.

Simba ran away, and thought triumphantly: "That was easier than I'd expected. He will never find his way back to our pride from here."

The prince could already hear Malka saying loud: "Simba! Simba! Where are you! Oh please come out!"

"No way!" thought Simba with a mean grin.

But then, Malka shouted: "HELP, SIMBA! PLEASE HELP ME!"

For the first time, Malka managed to make Simba shiver and also to feel some remorse.

"Sounds like Malka really is in trouble!" said Simba, shivering a little bit, and going back to the strange cub. "Dad asked me to look after him! I'll be in trouble if he's hurt!"

Finally, Simba got to Malka, but he saw that… the cub was perfectly fine! He seemed scared half-to-death, but, besides that, alright! And, when Simba came closer, he realised that Malka was crying! He decided to ask it to Malka: "Hey, I thought you were in real trouble. Why are you crying?"

Malka sobbed, and then said: "Because I'm really scared."

"Scared?" asked Simba, confused. "Of what?"

Malka sobbed again, and then he said: "Like you, I am also a prince. But I'd like to deserve to be it. Everybody thinks that I'm clever and brave, but I always get lost. I have lost my pride so many times… and every time I get really scared… and now, I thought I'd loose you as well."

Simba felt quite ashamed of trying to leave Malka. After all, Malka was nice… he was just… just what, exactly? Well, for sure he wasn't as bad as he looked at the first sight. So, Simba said: "Hey, Malka, I wouldn't leave you! I promised dad I'd look after you."

"You're so nice to me…" said Malka, smiling. "You all are… but I really miss my mom… and dad…"

"I understand." said Simba. "Come on. Maybe dad has some news about your pride."

And so, Simba left the rock labyrint with his new friend following him.

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"Now you know that I'm not as brave as I look." said Malka, while he and Simba walked through the savannah.

Simba decided to admit some of his real thoughts about Malka: "I thought you were quite brave, when you scream at those hyenas yesterday!"

And speaking about hyenas… both the cubs heard a pair of typical hyena-laughs. Simba looked backwards and noticed something. Behind them, was the duo that they had seen on the previous day and that Sarabi, Sabini, and Malka had scared. The scavengers had their teeth bared, and they had drool coming out of their mouths.

"There they are…" said Simba, gulping in fear.

And both the cubs ran away, with the hyenas chasing them. Malka and Simba tried to make the hyenas confused under all their possible means, but the hyenas were persistent. Finally, Malka had an idea, and shouted to Simba: "Quick! This way!"

Malka ran to the root of a tree that came out of the ground, forming some sort of arc, and Simba followed him. Both passed under the root, and then Simba understood Malka's plan. The hyenas tried to follow them and (just like Malka intended) got stuck!

"Sometimes it's not so bad being little!" said Simba, while he and Malka chuckled.

And then, they went to Pride Rock, and they noticed that there was someone new there. They saw Sarabi, Mufasa, Zazu, and a lioness with tangerine-yellow fur and eyes with the same colour of Malka's eyes.

"Mom!" shouted Malka, running to the lioness and hugging her.

"Hello, little one." said the lioness. "How many times have I told you for not to run off on your own?"

Meanwhile, Mufasa turned to Simba, and said: "Simba, this is Sura, Malka's mom, queen of Malka's home, the Snowy Mountains."

Sura bowed a little bit to Sarabi and Mufasa, and then they went away. Nala, who had come to say goodbye, said: "Goodbye, Malka! It was nice to have you here!"

"Come us and visit us again soon!" said Simba.

"I will!" said Malka. "But this time, it will be better if Zazu comes to pick me up! I don't want to get lost again!"

Malka laughed, and he finally went away.

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review!_


	21. Chapter 20: Wedding stuff

_Hello again, readers and reviewers. After a short break, I've published some more chapters. This one is the first. I hope you enjoy it. Mfoko (male) and Kike (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 20 – Wedding stuff**

Another month had passed since the day when Malka left the Pride Lands with his mother Sura. And, during that month, nothing too important had happened, with one exception. Malka's father, Elimu, came to the Pride Lands, accompanied by some members of his pride, and – probably much because of Malka's request – proposed an alliance between both prides.

So, Simba and Malka saw each other again, and Malka introduced to Simba his best friend Kike, a lioness cub with pale-brown fur, that had ear-tufts, just like Malka. Malka also introduced to Simba his younger brother, Mfoko, and the two got along fine. Mfoko looked much like Malka, but the colour of his fur was inherited after his mother, while Malka was a perfect copy of his father in colours – except for the eyes. Mufasa accepted the alliance, and after that Elimu, Malka, Mfoko, Sura, and Kike went away.

Kisasian kept growing, and Nala's little brother, Mheetu, was growing as well. He wasn't yet allowed to leave the cave, but he already revealed a big wish of tag-along with Simba and Nala (they didn't quite like the idea, but they managed to hang on).

Tojo's birds were still growing, and feeding them was becoming harder and harder (as it was becoming hard to find a sleeping place for the birds).

One day, after Tojo had returned from one of his trips to feed the birds, he lied down on a ledge on Pride Rock to sleep.

But, before he managed to fall asleep, he heard some steps. He lifted up his head, to see who was coming, and noticed that it was one of his "girlfriends".

"Oh… it's you Kula…" said Tojo, in a tired voice.

"Want to play?" asked Kula, but then she noticed that Tojo was really tired, and blushed of shame.

"You're so unsensitive!" shouted a voice from behind.

It was Kilia. She had just arrived, and, seeing her opportunity to score some more points with Tojo, she added: "Can't you see that poor Tojo is too tired to move?"

"I can see it!" said Kula, annoyed, walking towards Kilia. "What you can't see is that I am his girlfriend!"

"Since when?" asked Kilia, looking right into Kula's eyes. "Since when Tojo would have a girlfriend whose only worry is her stomach?"

"Shut up!" said Kula, baring slightly her teeth. "And you, your only worry was to annoy Tojo when he had his leg sprained!"

"I wouldn't have annoyed Tojo if you weren't there to discuss with me!" argued Kilia back.

"You know what?" asked Kula. "Let's turn to Tojo right now, and ask him who he would choose for a girlfriend. You… or me!"

"Thank you!" said Kilia, excitedly.

"Thank you…?" asked Kula, without understanding. "For what?"

"For answering to one of my most important questions!" said Kilia with a mocking expression. "You just proved me that what you have inside your head is a brain, instead of sawdust!"

And Kilia laughed evily.

"You…" said Kula, extending her claws.

But then she calmed down, and said: "Never mind about that. Now let's just ask it to Tojo."

And then turned around, looking for Tojo, but just to discover that Tojo wasn't anywhere. He had escaped while Kula and Kilia were discussing.

"What will we do now?" asked Kula, slightly worried.

"Don't worry!" said Kilia. "He will choose me!"

"No way!" said Kula. "He will choose me!"

"Shut up!" said one voice.

Both the cubs turned around, and saw that Simba, Nala, Chumvi, and Mheetu were looking at them. And no one of them seemed very happy.

Mheetu said: "You two are beginning to get impossible to stand! No wonder Tojo ran away from you!"

"Hey, you're talking about my sister!" said Chumvi, looking angrily at Mheetu.

"But he has a point." said Simba, thoughtfully. "It's quite hard to stand the constant arguing between these two."

Nala narrowed her eyes at Simba, and he said: "Just saying my opinion."

"By the way…" said Kula. "Have you seen where he went?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." said Chumvi. "But we won't tell you. He needs a break of you two!"

On that moment, Uzuri and Wingu appeared on that place, and Uzuri said: "Sorry, but we couldn't help but to hear your talking. So, let's have a talk, now, the four of us."

"Who are… the four?" asked Kilia, shivering a little bit.

"Kula, I, Uzuri, and you." replied Wingu.

Then, Uzuri and Wingu grabbed the cubs by the scruff, and decided to take them to a place where they wouldn't be disturbed, to have a quiet talk.

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Tojo had "escaped" with his birds to the Green Den, where they wouldn't be disturbed (or at least that was Tojo hoped) by anyone. Unfortunately, the blue-eyed cub was slightly wrong. There was someone there.

When Tojo came close to the Green Den, he found out that his grandfather was there, taking a nap after having hunted an impala for a meal. But that was the kind of company that Tojo could stand. In fact, Mega was the lion that he wanted to see.

Tojo went closer to his grandfather, preparing himself to wake up the big lion, biut Mega had sharp senses and was alert, so he woke up alone. He yawned, and then looked at Tojo. He said: "Hello, Tojo. What are you doing here? Do you need any advice from your grandpa?"

"Yes…" said Tojo shyly, while his birds landed on a close tree. "It's about… wedding…"

"Wedding?" asked Mega, confused. "But why? Why such a young cub like you wants to know about wedding?"

Tojo looked at Mega, and decided to tell everything. He told that he had saved Kilia on the Outlands… that Kilia seemed to have fallen in love with him… that Kula also seemed to be in love with him… and that the two were always arguing…

"And now, I like Kula, but I don't know how to tell her that without hurting Kilia's feelings. And later… will I have to marry Kula?"

Mega was silent for a little bit, pondering Tojo's question. A gentle breeze passed through the lion's mane, and then he kept speaking.

"So…" said Mega. "You want to know the experience that your grandpa has about weddings?"

Tojo nodded silently. But then, Mega said: "Well then, you have bad luck, young one. I don't have any direct experience on that. There was never a wedding at my family before. At least any serious wedding. I and your grandmother Mimea weren't exactly married, we were just "proclaimed to be together" by Mohatu, who still rulled on that time. Your mother… she had no ceremony at all. She mated with a rogue lion, and the only "official" statement of their union was that she insisted in introducing him to me and your grandmother before he wandered off again."

"Why he had to wander off?" asked Tojo sadly. "Why he couldn't stay with me and mom?"

"Simba's grandfather, Ahadi, was still alive on that time." explained Mega, hugging his grandson. "And… he rather disliked rogue lions. He had been kind than usual by allowing three males outside the royal family to stay: me, and Leo. With Moyo, he had nothing to do with that, because he, in a way, was no longer king on that time, but he still disliked rogue lions, and it was quite a fight to convince him to allow Jani to mate with your father. Besides, most lions wander off after making their first hunt totally alone, with around three years old. Others stay, but most of males don't like to be ruled by other. So, they leave. Probably you, Koza, and Chumvi will also leave as well. But believe me, no one will force you."

"But… why do you say that?" asked Tojo sadly. "And besides, I still don't understand much about the wedding-stuff."

"Then ask to Mufasa, or to Scar." said Mega, lying down again. "Sorry boy, but I can't help you more."

"Uh… alright." said Tojo. "See ya, grandpa!"

And so, Tojo ran off again with his birds following him, leaving the big lion under a tree. Then, Mega fell asleep, and he had more dreams… about a ruined wedding… and a successful one.

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"You don't have to stay here with me." said Scar, lying down in the entrance of the Green Den, with Sarabi resting her head in his black mane. "You have your duties in the pride. And besides, I shouldn't be here as well. The Green Den is part of the Pride Lands."

That was just talk, because for him, Sarabi's presence was the biggest treasure that he could ever get. However, it had it's risks.

During the last four years, Sarabi and Scar began to know each other better. In the beginning, they just played together, but, as they grew up, they ended up falling in love. This fact wasn't exactly pleased by all the members of the pride, but the ones who were less pleased were Ahadi, Mufasa, Penda, and Zira.

Ahadi because, even if Sarabi was "hanging around" with Scar, she was, under all the effects, betrothed to Mufasa. Maybe not officially, but Ahadi knew that Mufasa was in love with her, and wanted to marry her when he grew up. Mufasa was also displeased with the idea that his "girlfriend" was hanging around with his good-for-nothing kid brother.

Penda… well, she just wanted Sarabi to be queen, because she had been born as a princess on their original pride. The lioness wasn't power-hungry. For her, being a queen was a duty, not a privilege, and she had personal experience on that. But she also believed that her oldest daughter would have a better life if she became queen.

Zira… well, she was still in love with Scar. And Scar, even being Sarabi's "boyfriend" was still her friend, and still played with her, and, in a way, also protected her from the pride's wrath. Because Zira in fact loved Scar, and wanted him to be happy, she only suffered silently.

The happy couple ignored most of those things, with the exception of the open hatred that Zira and Sarabi showed towards each other, and that always ended up (curiously) apppeased by Scar.

On that day, Scar and Sarabi were on the Green Den, watching the sunset, and the same time were talking about the last punishment that Ahadi had given to Scar (exile for a week), and the previous day had been the last day of his exile.

"But it's from the other side of the Border River, Scar." replied Sarabi. "Pridelanders are just using it because no one has yet claimed it as personal property."

"Well… that' s right." replied Scar. "Oh… and by the way, yesterday was the last day of my exile… but I still don't know if I should return to the pride. My father and Mufasa will only be on constant wrath against me… your mother will be angry again…"

"Don't worry…" said Sarabi. "I promise you that they won't tear us apart. No one. My mother, your father, Mufasa… my biggest worry is that outsider Zira."

With the sudden change of the talking to Zira, Sarabi's eyes narrowed a little bit, and she also bared her teeth.

"Sarabi…" said Scar calmly, although a careful listener would notice some anger in his voice with Sarabi talking like that about Zira. "Please, don't call Zira an outsider. She is my friend, and I respect her."

"I still can't see what you see in her as a friend." snorted Sarabi.

"Let's stop the talking about Zira, before it gets too ugly." said Scar, waving his paw, showing that the talk was over. "And talk about another business… Sarabi, do you remember that your mother wants you to be queen?"

"Yes…" said Sarabi slowly. "But for that, I would have to marry Mufasa."

"No, you wouldn't." said Scar. "If we leave the pride… and start our own… you would be queen! I know it could be hard at first… but when we found some place to settle, we…"

"Scar…" said Sarabi slowly. "I wouldn't be able to leave the pride. My family is here… my friends are here… Scar, I don't know if that is enough for you, but I promise you that neither my mother, your father, or Mufasa will break us apart."

"She promised!" thought Scar, smiling. "Finally! I have nothing to fear from now on."

And then, he added loud: "I promise you that I will never leave the Pride Lands."

"Alright…" said Sarabi, looking on the setting sun. "We should return now. It's getting late."

And so, Sarabi and Scar got up, and crossed the river, using a tree trunk that served as a bridge, returning to Pride Rock.

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When they returned to Pride Rock, there was the usual "welcome" from Ahadi, who screamed at Scar again completely without purpose, which led to another argument between Ahadi and Uru, for a change. Scar went to visit his grandmother, who, for some reason, had been getting a little bit sick during the last days. Laini called it "age stuff" but Scar was deeply worried with her, and did whatever he could to help her.

However, Mufasa was unusually calm. Normally, seeing his brother also led to an argument, and sometimes fight, with him, but this time, Mufasa said nothing. Mega had been watching the scene, and went away, mistrustful.

"It's a bad sign." thought the lion. "If Mufasa is so calm, it means that he's up to something."

And Mega went to a ledge of Pride Rock, looking to the stars that began to appear in the sky. His look focused on the brightest star of them all for some time, but then his eyes wandered through the sky again. Mimea came to meet him there.

"You look tired, my dear." she said, nuzzling her mate. "Are you alright?"

"Yes…" said Mega. "I'm just… worried…"

"With what?" asked Mimea, confused.

"With Scar… Zira… and Ahadi…" confessed Mega.

"Oh…" said Mimea. "So, you still worry yourself with the king? He is the one who has to worry about you, not you about him."

"But I'm afraid that he might end up killing Scar… or Zira…" confessed Mega.

"It wouldn't be big losses." thought Mimea. "At least Zira. If not for Uzuri, she would be dead by now."

But she only said loud: "Don't worry. He wouldn't do it."

"I hope you're right." said Mega, giving a big sigh after that.

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But Mega had reasons to be worried, because Mufasa already had the perfect plan to split the love-birds, and get Sarabi all to himself. His plan was so simple, that he was admired of not having thought about it first.

"Zazu!" called Mufasa. "Are you there?"

Zazu came to meet him shortly after. His mother Zuzu was still working as Ahadi's servant, but she was getting old, and soon, Zazu would replace his mother. And Zazu was devoted to Mufasa… the prince had saved him so many times from the "birdy-boiler" from the Elephant Graveyard, that the three hyenas from Scar had got to have fun using the small hornbill, that they were best friends.

"What do you need, sire?" asked the hornbill.

"It's rather simple." said Mufasa, looking at Zazu. "You will go to Sarabi, and tell her that Scar wants to meet her, tomorrow early, in the Green Den. Tell her that he has a surprise for her. Then, you will go to Zira, and tell her exactly the same thing. Understand?"

"I don't see why you want me to do it, sire…" said Zazu slowly. "But I will do it."

And Zazu flew away, leaving Mufasa lying down, satisfied with his own plan.

"This is just perfect." thought Mufasa, smiling. "I will be on the Green Den before Sarabi and Zira… probably, the two girlfriends of my little brother won't stand to see each other in those circusntances… they will fight… well, if Sarabi wins the fight, Scar won't forgive her for having killed his friend, but, if I see that Zira is winning… I will jump in to protect Sarabi, Sarabi won't forgive Scar for the lack of control in his friend, and I will be there to cheer her up! It's brilliant!"

Shortly after, Zazu returned, and said proudly: "Mission accomplished, sire!"

"All right." said Mufasa. "You can go."

And so, Zazu flew away.

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Early on the next morning, Sarabi, who was always one of the first lionesses of the pride to wake up, ran to the Green Den, extremely excited with the idea that Scar had a surprise for her, and without noticing that Scar was still sleeping on his usual place, but, on the other paw, Zira's sleeping place was empty.

"I wonder what is the surprise that Scar has for me." thought Sarabi, while she ran at full speed towards the Green Den. "Maybe it is some prey that he hunted for me… or some pretty flower like the one he once gave to me… I can't wait to see the surprise… whatever it is…"

And so, thinking about eventual surprised that Scar could have for her, she ran to the Green Den. But, when she arrived to the place, after crossing the river using the tree trunk, she noticed with disappointment, that Scar was not there. In fact, no one was there, with the exception of some bats that were returning to their sleeping places in a tree that grew close to the cave.

"Well, probably he hasn't arrived yet." thought Sarabi. "I will just have to wait and see."

But, right on that moment, someone appeared behind the rock. Sarabi looked on the silhoute. It was rather simmilar to Scar, but it wasn't Scar. It was… Zira!

Zira had arrived there earlier, convinced that Scar had a surprise for her… and now, instead of Scar, she found Sarabi! The two lionesses stared at each other with bared teeth, like if they were the worst enemies in the world.

"You…" growled Sarabi and Zira at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" growled Zira.

"I was about to ask you the same question." said Sarabi.

"I'm here because Scar told that he has a surprise for me!" said Zira angrily.

"Liar!" shouted Sarabi. "Scar has in fact a surprise, but for me, not for you, outsider!"

"Don't call me outsider, you stupid!" growled Zira back.

The two stared at each other angrily with bared teeth and extended claws. After some tensed moments, Sarabi dropped the defensive position for a moment – but still watching Zira closely - and began thinking.

"But it's providencial that you are here…" said Sarabi thoughtfully. "We will settle this right now…"

"What do you mean?" asked Zira, still with an angry look, but at the same time getting confused. "Do you want to fight for Scar?"

"I said nothing." replied Sarabi, smiling with a somewhat evil smile. "Rule of Challenge is invalid for females… but, if you want to… after all, Scar is too small to be divided by the two of us!"

"I won't do anything!" growled Zira. "I love Scar, I admit, but because I love him, I want him to be happy. Even if it is with you!"

And Zira went away, preparing herself to cross the river. But then, she felt that someone was pouncing on her by behind. The lioness crouched, right on time to avoid Sarabi, who landed on her four paws, and said: "No way! You stay here… this business will be solved here and now!"

And with that, Sarabi and Zira charged at each other. Sarabi was the first to attack, slashing Zira on her shoulder. Zira roared in pain, but she didn't stay still, and retributed with a blow on Sarabi's paw. The Pridelander lioness pounced on Zira again, pressing her paw over her enemie's neck, and preparing herself to slash her with her claws.

But the Desert lioness, feeling death approaching, pushed her heavier rival from her with her hind paws.

"You stay away from Scar from now on, understand?" growled Sarabi, charging at Zira again. "He is mine. MINE!"

And, after shouting, Sarabi tried to give another smack on Zira's face, that the desert lioness avoived only by luck.

But she got up, and shouted: "Scar is a lion, not an object! He is free to choose!"

"And why do you think he would choose you, outsider?" asked Sarabi, pushing Zira hard with all her mass.

Zira fell on the ground, and Sarabi continued: "Why a prince like him would choose someone like you? You don't love him!"

"Yes, I do!" growled Zira again, giving a hit on Sarabi's side. "I love him! And it's because I love him that I accept that he is your boyfriend and can be happy with you! I just can't see what chances he has of being happy with such a selfish lioness like you!"

"If you in fact loved him, you wouldn't just sit down and do nothing!" growled Sarabi, pouncing on Zira, and pinning her on her back. "You just want to marry him to have a better status on the pride than the one of an outsider!"

"And for that I would hurt his feelings, by killing his girlfriend?" asked Zira angrily, flipping Sarabi over her, and getting up as quickly as she could, to prevent a further attack of her opponent.

Mufasa, hiding on some high grass close of that place, smiled, and said: "The party has begun."

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Scar had woken up shortly before, and was looking for Sarabi everywhere on Pride Rock and close area. He was planning on having another loving day with her, again, but she was just gone!

"Where she can be?" thought Scar, after looking for her.

But then, he heard Mega coming close, and the older lion said: "Good-morning, Scar."

"Hello, Mega." replied the black-maned lion.

After that, Mega's face became more serious, and he asked: "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Sarabi in the Green Den."

"Why?" asked Scar, confused.

"I heard Zazu telling her that you had told him to tell her that you had a surprise for her, and that she should meet you in the Green Den!" said Mega, all at once.

Now, Scar had a good idea where Sarabi could be.

"So that's it…" thought the lion with the scar. "She's there… waiting for me… and I don't have any actual surprise for her… she'll get mad!"

And so, Scar ran towards the Green Den at full speed, after a quick "Thank You" to Mega. But, on his way, he found another lioness.

"Scar!" called the white lioness.

"Oh… hello, Sakia." said Scar, stopping for a moment. "Sorry, but I'm in a hurry."

"You should be." said Sakia, giggling. "You are late for your meeting with Zira in the Green Den.

"Yes…" agreed Scar, first without realising what Sakia said. "I'm late for my meeting with…"

But then, he realized what Sakia had told, and a shocked and frightened expression slowly appeared on his face as he said with scared voice: "Zira? What story is that of meeting Zira?"

"Oh…" said Sakia. "I heard Zazu telling her to meet you in the Green Den, that you had a surprise for her…"

"Listen, Sakia." said Scar, interrupting her. "Mega has just told me that he heard Zazu tell Sarabi to meet me in the Green Den, and now you tell me that you heard Zazu telling Zira to meet me in the Green Den."

"But…" said Sakia, too amazed with what Scar had told her. "It means…"

"That they are together in the Green Den?" concluded Scar for her. "Yes, that's what it means! If they are together there, they may end up killing each other! I can't let Sarabi to kill Zira…"

"Shouldn't you say 'let Zira to kill Sarabi…'?" asked Sakia, with a raised eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter now!" replied Scar, almost shouting. "What it matters is that I have to go there and stop a disaster!"

And Scar ran to the Green Den even faster than before (if that was possible). He felt his muscles burning with pain, but he didn't stop till he reached Green Den.

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Sarabi pushed Zira with a strong hit, and tried to slash her neck, but Zira recovered, and, in a frontal charge, she managed to hit Sarabi right on her chest. With that, both the lionesses stepped a few meters away from each other, breathing shallowly.

Things weren't going easy for the two rivals. Both the lionesses were extremely skilled in fight, so they were more or less equally harmed. But Sarabi's endurance was slightly bigger than Zira's… so, she was almost winning. But Zira wasn't yet ready to let Sarabi kill her… she wouldn't kill Sarabi, but she also wouldn't allow Scar's girlfriend to kill her.

"Scar…" thought Sarabi. "From now on, there will be no one to disturb us. We will live happily ever after. I can even reconsider about the idea… no, I can't. Sorry, Scar, but if we want to be happy, the outsider MUST die!"

"I in fact love Scar." thought Zira. "And I don't know what he sees in Sarabi, but, if he sees on her enough to make him happy, let it be. However, I won't give my life… or should I? If I in fact love Scar, my death will eliminate obstacles between him and Sarabi… unless he doesn't forgive Sarabi for killing me… and if I die, what will I tell to mother when I meet her up there? Well, let's just keep this fight, and see what happens."

For now, both the lionesses were quite far from each other, struggling to catch their breath, and staring at each other like if their eyes were on fire. Zira, in particular, with her red eyes, gave very well the impression of having flames inside of the eyes.

"Now…" panted Sarabi. "Let's finish this!"

"As you wish!" panted Zira, baring her teeth.

Both Sarabi and Zira charged at each other again. But this time, things went differently. Zira, tired, and maybe more tormented by the wounds than her rival, charged blindly, in despair. And that was exactly what Sarabi was expecting, that her opponent would attack desperately. She avoived Zira's charge, and, before her rival could escape, she grabbed her with her front paws.

The red-eyed lioness was already regretting that she had charged so desperately. And she also realized that it was exactly what her rival intended. Now, she was doomed almost for sure.

Zira was partially right. Sarabi grabbed Zira's neck inside her mouth, biting through half of Zira's right ear in the process.

For some reason, probably only by miracle, Sarabi's teeth hadn't found any of Zira's neck arteries, but the lioness was suffocating, and Sarabi had placed her in a position where she couldn't do anything… not even call for help. Zira could feel the pain on her right ear, but that wasn't worrying her, considering her pain on the neck.

She tried to shake herself with all the strenght she had left, and waved her paws desperately, hoping that one of her moves would hit Sarabi, and hurt her enough to scream, and let Zira free. But Zira was in a position where she could barely move… no, there was yet one move. She still had her tail.

A whiping of her tail wouldn't hurt Sarabi much, but could surprise her enough to release Zira. The desert lioness tried to do it, whiping Sarabi on her side with all he strenght.

"So, you still fight?" asked Sarabi in mind. "Don't worry, this will be settled soon."

And Sarabi bit Zira's neck with even more strenght. As if miracle, Sarabi's teeth hadn't pierced through her opponent's windpipe, but the trapped lioness was getting desperate, and was also getting dizzy, because of loss of oxygen.

"Help…" shouted Zira in mind, slowly going to unconsciousness. "Someone… help me! I need help…"

And, on the last moment, right before Sarabi's teeth penetrated completely through her neck, crushing her trachea, someone pushed Sarabi hard. Zira was released, and her opponent fell some meters forward, panting.

Zira, panting even more, looked to her rescuer. It was… Scar! Scar was also panting, probably he had just arrived… but Zira couldn't help it. She smiled, and hugged Scar, without caring at all with Sarabi being there to see it.

"He saved my life again!" thought Zira. "He's my hero!"

Scar was still struggling to catch his breath, but he asked: "Zira… are you alright?"

But then, Sarabi got up, and, with tears on her eyes, she shouted: "Why, Scar? Why are you doing it? Why have you hit me? I thought you loved me!"

"And I in fact loved you!" thought Scar. "And I was hoping that you would love me!"

But Scar didn't know what to say… he loved Sarabi… no, he didn't love Sarabi. He had thought about Sarabi as a cute and handsome lioness, but he realized that the one who he truly loved was Zira. His mother and grandmother had once told him that the real love becomes stronger with the hard trials that a pair has… and Scar and Zira had deffinetly harder trials to face that Scar and Sarabi… to begin with a whole month alone in the Elephant Graveyard and the Outlands. Maybe he had loved Sarabi a little bit, but not as much as he loved Zira. Scar was still shocked with Sarabi's selfishness. He could understand what was going on. Maybe he always had understood, but only now he was seeing it. Sarabi loved him, but she didn't respect the fact that he was Zira's friend.

She wanted him all to herself, and was ready to use all the necessary means for that.

"Why, Sarabi?" thought Scar, almost crying. "I always loved you, was it so hard for you to respect that I loved Zira as a friend? Why? I never thought you were so selfish!"

However, Scar didn't know how to say it to Sarabi. It would be too shocking for her, and Scar still tried to have some respect by his wounded ex-girlfriend. But it seemed that wouldn't be necessary, because, on that moment, someone shouted: "I saw everything!"

The three looked around, and saw Mufasa, who was just coming. Mufasa said again: "I saw everything! You attacked Sarabi, Scar! And you even say that you love her!"

Sarabi, who was still crying, hugged Mufasa, for some unknown reason. And then, Mufasa said: "I saw everything! I saw Scar threatening Zazu that, if he wouldn't do what he told him, he would give him to the hyenas, for them to put him in the birdy-boiler."

It was a lie. Sometimes, the hyenas placed Zazu in the birdy-boiler, it was true, but Scar never approved that. However, the hyenas, always that Scar wasn't looking, did it.

But Sarabi, completely heartbroken, wasn't thinking rationally, and believed Mufasa. She hugged the golden lion even more, and Mufasa couldn't help but to smile triumphantly.

"He planned it all!" thought Scar sadly. "That rascal planned it all! Mufasa… I never thought that I could hate you even more… but now…"

And with that, Mufasa and Sarabi returned to Pride Rock. When they arrived, Mufasa told everything to Ahadi. In his own interpretation… but winners write history!

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Scar and Zira had returned to Pride Rock about an hour later. For some unknown reason (probably because of Uru's decisive intervention), Ahadi didn't punish Scar with banishing him again, but, since that day, the tension on Pride Rock began increasing.

Mega rolled on his sleep, and, some time later, he woke up, to discover that he was sleeping under a tree, shortly after having a talking with Tojo about weddings.

"I wonder why I'm having those strange dreams lately." said Mega, getting up. "Maybe I shouldn't sleep as much. Or maybe it is some sort of warning… warning that, very soon, all those past conflicts will keep. They were appeased, but for how long?"

He walked towards the river, deciding to cross it swimming, to make some exercise, and, after arriving to the other side, he said: "I wonder why Tojo wants to marry. Girlfriends only give problems."

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Mega's grandson was on Pride Rock already. On Scar's ledge, to be exact. He had followed his grandfather's advice, and went to ask for some advice to Scar, because Mufasa wasn't available at that moment.

"Mr. Scar!" said Tojo, with his birds flying after him. "Miss Zira!"

Scar looked up, and couldn't help but to smile a little bit at seeing Tojo. Tojo reminded him of what Simba could be for him, if not the fact of Simba being Mufasa and Sarabi's son.

Zira looked at Tojo, and Kisasian looked up and said: "Hi, Tojo! Do you want to play?"

"No." said Tojo. "At least for now. I came to make you a question, Mr. Scar."

"To me?" asked Scar, amazed.

It was the first time that some of the cubs requested help from him. But he added: "About what?"

"Wedding-stuff." said Tojo.

Scar and Zira got confused, and Scar said: "But why to me? And why do you want to know it?"

"I already asked to my grandfather about it." said Tojo shyly. "But he said that he doesn't know too much, and told me to come for you or to Mr. Mufasa!"

Scar narrowed his eyes slightly, and then he said: "I don't know anything about weddings. Ask to Mufasa."

He said in a way that expressed quite obviously that he didn't want to talk more about that business. But Kisasian got up from his mother's paws, and said: "Hey, Tojo, let's play! Until uncle Mufasa returns!"

Scar and Zira narrowed their eyes after hearing their son saying "uncle Mufasa" but the cubs ignored it, and left the ledge, with the birds following them again.

However, Zira went to Scar, and asked: "Scar… I have a question… about a wedding."

"What is it?" asked Scar.

"Uh… what exactly happened when you were missing? How your mother's death happened?"

Scar looked at Zira in a very angry way, but then, he said: "It's a very sad, and complicated story. However, you have the right to know it. I will tell you."

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_What did you think? I thought that, just like I told you Scar got his wound, I should also tell how Zira lost that bit of ear. What do you think of my theory? Please, review!_


	22. Chapter 21: Bloody claws

_Well, here it is a new chapter... and the return of two characters of mine. Probably some of you were anxious - or at least curious - for their return... maybe you'll like this chapter... or maybe not. Whatever, let's begin!_

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**Chapter 21 – Bloody claws**

The day of Mufasa and Sarabi's wedding happened quite fast, only three months after the end of Scar and Sarabi's relationship. Scar was still heartbroken because of that, maybe not so much because of how he realized Sarabi's selfishness, but mostly because of how he realized that Mufasa maybe trusted in more things than brute strenght, and because of how he realized that it all ended because of an evil plan from Mufasa.

He couldn't believe that he was the same Mufasa from his early cubhood, that had played with him, had always been on his side, and had protected him from their father's madness. It was too hard for him. Fortunately, Zira had survived to the fight. Zira… yes, she seemed to be the only one who trusted him. Much for his relief, neither she, Uru, or Laini placed his story in doubt when he told it.

His grandmother was getting sicker and sicker. Scar, Uru, and Zira were around her always, trying to take care of her in their best possible way, but nothing of what they did seemed to improve the condition of the former queen. Maybe with a better environment in her family, and without Mohatu's sudden death, she wouldn't be as sick, because her sickness seemed in part psicologycal.

"Don't worry, Taka." she told one day to Scar, after he brought her a piece of meat for meal. "It comes to us all one day, sooner or later."

And she added in mind: "At least, when I die, I will go to my beloved mate."

But her words only made Scar to double his efforts to keep her alive. Scar and Zira mainly took her of Laini so much that they barely had time to eat, and their postures became slim in a way that they almost looked sick.

In a way, Laini's sickness was another thing that rushed Mufasa's wedding. After the old lioness said that she wanted to live to see one of her grandchildren married (eventhough it was obviously Mufasa, because Ahadi would never allow Scar to have any kind of official union with his mate), Mufasa and Sarabi decided to get married as soon as possible.

That was the day. All the animals from the Pride Lands that could come to the wedding had been warned by Zuzu and Zazu, and now they were gathered close to Pride Rock. Mufasa and Sarabi were on the edge of Pride Rock with Rafiki, looking at the animals that were gathered there. Laini was watching the wedding supported on her sides by Sarafina and Leo. Ahadi was looking proudly at his son, but Scar seemed to want to vomit right there. Zira tried to cheer him up, but she failed.

"There seem to be less animals here that in Mohatu's funeral." said Sarabi, a little bit confused.

As far as she recalled, in Mohatu's funeral were, at least, the triple of the animals that were on her wedding.

"Normally, there are more animals in funerals that in weddings." explained Mufasa calmly. "And grandpa Mohatu's funeral was special. He was – and still is – considered as the best king that these lands had during the last generations. That is why so many animals came to his funeral."

"Grandpa is way more important than a traitor and a self-centered grabber." thought Scar bitterly.

Uru looked at her second son. She knew how he was deeply hurt, both by Sarabi and Mufasa. And of course, by Ahadi. If not for Zira, probably he wouldn't hang on.

"Oh… take care of him, Zira, as long as you can." thought Uru. "He needs you, and you need him. And you two also should have a wedding like this… but Ahadi doesn't allow it."

But, among the animals that weren't on the edge of Pride Rock, seeing the wedding, were Zazu, Zuzu, Tanin, and two potentially dangerous ones.

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Tanin was laying on the river bank Pride Lands, sunbathing before making some real hunting, or, better to say, before eating a prey that he had stored on the previous day. Zazu had told him about Mufasa and Sarabi's wedding, but Tanin was getting too old to bother himself with such trivialities as wedding.

He was still healthy and strong, but he was getting too big to get out of the water and move easily. So, he just lied there, sunbathing.

And, by doing it, he noticed two unwelcome intruders on the Pride Lands. He was just lying with open mouth, with a bird taking parasites and food scraps from his mouth while he sunbathed, but then he heard someone swimming. He didn't turn his head to see who it was, just remained still, because he knew it wasn't a crocodile for sure. Crocodiles swim silently. The animal, or better to say, the animals, because the reptile realised that were only two, that were swimming behind him, were quite big, it should be two lions.

And soon, both the lions came out of the water, and the reptile saw them. Both of them were big and strong, and looked identical, with crimson-brown fur, black mane, and brown eyes. But one of them had his nose darker than the other.

The lions shook themselves, to release the water of their fur, and then they went away, talking.

"This seems to be a quite prosperous kingdom, Jambazi." said one of them.

"You are right, Nduli." replied the other one. "We should find here a quite big pride."

Since they had been banished from the Golden Sands by Arista, they were focused on revenge against the whole pride, for having allowed their parents to die. In the beginning, they were quite in trouble, because Arista had banished them when they were only two years and a half old, before they made their first hunt, and they were quite poor hunters. In the beginning, only luck of finding dead preys, and probably also the will of not dying without avenging their parents, had kept them alive. But, in time, they became good enough hunters, and now, they had the one that they thought to be the perfect plan to avenge their parents.

One of them would have to challenge the king of the pride to a duel, and then kill him. After that, both would become kings, and they would have a whole pride to command. If they trained the pride properly, they could use the pride to kill all the Desertlanders, and avenge their parents.

Jambazi rather disliked the idea of using a pride to that objective. The revenge was only theirs, they could murder the Golden Pride by themselves, even if it took more time. But Nduli was more impatient, he said that it would take too much time, they needed more help. And they couldn't rely on rogues, because, after the experience that they had with Afriti's gerge, they learned that rogues couldn't be trusted.

"The pride around here is probably lazy." said Nduli again. "Having such a fertile land to live may end up weakening the lions, because they don't have to work hard for their lives. But, after proper training, they should be quite able to help.

Tanin noticed this, but he felt completely powerless. He couldn't do anything to help the pride, because that would imply to leave the water, and, in his way to Pride Rock, he would surely find the two rogues. And, in solid ground, even such a big crocodile was an easy prey for a pair of strong rogues. So, the old big lizard could do anything but helplessly watch. And he whispered, after returning to the safety of the water: "Please, Mohatu, I don't know what you can do from upthere, but don't let the rogues harm this kingdom!"

He wasn't exactly a believer than the spirit of his dead friend could do anything, but was his only hope.

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Tanin wasn't the only creature of the Pride Lands to notice the rogues. Zazu also noticed them. The hornbill was still flying over the Pride Lands, looking for more animals that would go to Mufasa and Sarabi's wedding, but he noticed the twins. He wasn't recognizing them, so he lowered his flight to see them better. He landed on a big rock, right on their side, and shouted, maybe stupidely: "You have to get out of here!"

The twins looked at Zazu, without realising who he was, and almost seemed fun with the talking of the bird. Jambazi said: "Who are you, to tell us that?"

Without answering, Zazu insisted: "You can't be in this kingdom! Go away! Go now! This is a day of sacred peace, because of a royal wedding. Rogues aren't allowed!"

"The little hornbill is giving orders to the two lions…" said Nduli, with a sarcastically gentle voice. Then, he growled, more aggressively: "Go away, idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot!" shouted Zazu. "I am Zazu, son of Zuzu, and I am future majordomo of the Pride Lands!"

With those words, Jambazi and Nduli looked into each other's eyes, and they didn't speak at all, but they made a silent dialogue with their eyes. It was enough to understand that both were thinking the same thing. After some time, Jambazi nodded to his brother, and Nduli crouched.

For the first time since the beginning of his stupid talking with the two lions, Zazu began getting scared, because he realized that he was talking with lions that were quite dangerous. He tried to fly away, but he shook in fear.

However, Nduli pounced on him. Zazu looked on the big lion with fear, but it was too late. The lion pounced on him with wide open mouth, and, after being sure that the bird was inside his mouth, he closed it, and chewed a single time.

"Good shot!" said Jambazi, amazed.

"Thanks, bro!" smiled Nduli.

But then, he looked at some tail feathers of the hornbill that had stayed on the ground. It deffinetly weren't Zazu's feathers. They seemed of another colour, more purple.

"I don't think I only ate Zazu." said Nduli, looking on the feathers with interest.

"It was probably his mother, Zuzu." said Jambazi, after thinking a little bit. "I think that, right before you pounced, I saw another hornbill flying between you and Zazu. Probably, it was his mother. Only she would do that."

"If it was, that's even better!" said the other twin triumphantly. "We got rid of both birds, and now they have no way to know about our presence in the kingdom!"

"But it's better if we look for some place to stay for some time." said Jambazi. "Breaking sacred peace will attract too much attentions."

"You're right about that." said Nduli. "Let's look for some place to settle 'till tomorrow. Tomorrow… my plan will be in motion."

Nduli made an evil smile. Jambazi shook his head, because he still thought that it would be better to do the work all by themselves, but he decided to agree with his brother, and followed him.

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When the rogues were out of sight, Zazu finally came out of the tuft of high grass where he had been hiding silently. By the talking of the twins, and mainly by the hard push that he felt, the bird came to understand what happened. In the last moment before Nduli had eaten him, Zuzu had flown at her son with full speed, and pushed him really hard, sacrificing her life for the life of her son.

"Mother…" sobbed Zazu, flying to the rock, and looking at the purple feathers of his mother that were on the ground. "Not you… please…"

Zazu looked at the feathers that stayed on the rock, but he, with the eyes full of tears, almost wasn't seeing them.

Zazu grabbed one of the feathers, and said, with a voice full of sadness: "Mother… why? I was the stupid one… I should have been the one to die… not you… you died because of my stupidity… mother…"

Zazu hugged one of the feathers of his mother that remained on the rock, the last signal of her existence, and, with a fountain of tears coming out of each eye, sobbed loudly, without caring that the rogues or any other predator would hear him.

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Meanwhile, the wedding on Pride Rock was ready to continue. Mufasa and Sarabi had decided to wait a little bit longer, to see if Zuzu and Zazu would bring more animals to their wedding, but, after seeing that no more would come, Ahadi gave the order for the ceremony to start. The wedding in itself was quite simple, although that would be the first wedding to be made in that way, because in the last official wedding on the Pride Lands (Ahadi and Uru's wedding), there was neither Rafiki nor any wiseape around, but Ahadi decided to trust in the shaman's wisdom. But the basic-model already came from previous weddings.

Mufasa and Sarabi had to place their paws in each other's neck, which was the ultimate sign of the devotion of mates. After that, Rafiki would break one of his fruits, and paint some sort of ceremonial crown on Mufasa and Sarabi's heads. Then, the king would repeat (but this time, it would be Rafiki to do it), a long list of formulas, which Mufasa and Sarabi would listen. Then, Rafiki would ask first to Mufasa and then to Sarabi if they accepted each other as mates. After that, assuming that both the members answered yes, he would ask to the pride if any one of the members had anything against the wedding. If not, and even if yes, the couple would be proclaimed together, and roar across the kingdom for all the animals to hear, and mainly, for all the pride to hear. All the pride was obligated to assist the ceremony. At least, worked like that in royal weddings.

Rafiki already made the previous parts, and then, he asked: "Mufasa, will you accept this lioness, Sarabi, as your mate and future queen?"

"Yes." replied Mufasa right after the shaman finished the question.

The mandrill turned to Sarabi, and asked: "Sarabi, do you accept this lion, Mufasa, as your mate and future king?"

Scar looked at Sarabi, who, for some reason, seemed hesitant in answering. He kept looking, but almost without hope, because he, in his moments of logic, thought that Sarabi now loved Mufasa.

Sarabi gave a quick look around. She noticed the animals, looking at her with admire. She noticed her mother, looking at her proudly. She noticed Sabini and Sarafina, looking at her with joy. She noticed Ahadi, with an expression very simmilar to her mother's… and she noticed Scar.

In his eyes, she saw amazement… amazement of betrayed trust… she… had to marry Mufasa. There was no turning back.

"I accept." said Sarabi, turning to Rafiki.

A sunbeam was directed to Sarabi and Mufasa, but Scar saw them under a complete darkness, caused by his own despair.

"No…" thought Scar, barely repressing himself from break into tears on the spot. "I… she never really loved me. I hoped she would be more loyal… and I… I don't see why I have to assist this. They can be united, they fit to each other, but I DON'T HAVE TO ASSIST TO THIS!"

And then, Rafiki turned to the pride, and asked, with voice surprisingly strong for an old monkey: "If there is anyone here that has something against the union of Mufasa and Sarabi, speak now or forever hold your peace."

And then, Scar shouted: "I have!"

The whole pride looked on him with amazement. They had never recalled a wedding that wasn't accepted by all the members of the pride. After the first shock, Mufasa and Sarabi pretended to ignore it, but Ahadi looked on his second son with deep anger. Then, Scar corrected: "I should have explained better. I don't have anything against the union of these two traitors. They were made for each other. I only have one thing against: THAT I HAVE TO SEE THIS!"

And, without more words, Scar left Pride Rock at full speed. Because the whole pride was still too amazed, no one tried to stop him of running away, except Ahadi, who was ready to give another punishment to Scar.

Uru, however, blocked his way, and said, looking on Ahadi with a look full of anger: "He is right. He is not obligated to see this. If he doesn't agree with the union, he doesn't have to see this."

Ahadi looked at her with deep anger, and lifted his right paw, with claws full-extended. Uru stayed there, without any kind of fear in her eyes. Ahadi lowered his paw, but then, someone pounced on him with full speed, making him to loose his balance. Ahadi temporarially fell, and then he got up, still almost without breath. He noticed that Laini had pushed him aside, and seemed to be in perfect physical conditions, like if she had completely ignored her illness.

"One moment, Ahadi." said Lani, baring her teeth, and placing herself between her daughter and her son-in-law. "I won't allow you to hit my daughter. I can't see why you hate Taka, but I won't allow you to hurt my daughter."

And then, she turned to Rafiki, and said: "I assume that we can continue. Right, Ahadi?"

Ahadi looked at the old lioness with orange-yellow fur. He never thought that such a gentle lioness as Laini was could be so scary. So, Ahadi said, making his voice to sound as calm as it was possible for him on the moment: "Right."

The two lionesses and the lion returned to their places, and Rafiki said, but still with his voice shivering a little: "Mufasa and Sarabi, you are proclaimed mates."

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Some minutes later, the ceremony was finished. The pride returned to the cave to rest and eat meat from animals hunted on the previous day, because, in days of sacred peace, no animal can be killed. But Uru prepared herself to leave Pride Rock, to look for her second son, in an attempt to calm him down.

But Ahadi placed himself on her way, and said: "You stay here! Leave the trash away from here, if you want to, but you STAY HERE!"

"Step aside!" said Uru, in a voice like if she was giving an order. Maybe she was actually.

"I'm the KING!" roared Ahadi. "I give the orders!"

"Don't try my patience, Ahadi…" growled Uru, extending her claws. "If so…"

"If so, what?" asked Ahadi, in a mocking voice. "If so, what?"

"THIS!" shouted Uru, delivering a fast hit on Ahadi's right shoulder.

And then, surprisingly, it happened: Ahadi fell to the ground. The few members of the pride still there gasped in amazement. It was almost unbeliavable that a lion as big and strong as Ahadi had been thrown to the ground with a single blow of a lioness smaller than him. But, even more amazing than that, was the fact of Uru hitting her mate. They had quite some serious arguments during the previous years, but they had never gone to physical violence. She should be actually angry at him. Ahadi got up, looking on his mate, surprised, and maybe a little bit scared.

"I think I made myself clear." said Uru, going away, and looking for her son.

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Scar was on the bottom of a big gorge, that had no grass at all in the bottom, just hot rock, some small stones, and occasional trees. Under one of those trees was Scar, sitting down on a stone that had a strange inclination. He was crying, but the tears that fell on the rock quickly evaporated under the hot sun.

"Why?" thought Scar, crying loudly. "Why it had to happen? I loved Sarabi, why she couldn't love me as well? And Mufasa… why, Mufasa? You just became like that after dad tried to reconcile with me… when I became a threat to the throne! To your throne! Is kingship so important to you?"

But, while he shouted, he was barely aware that his shouts could attract other creatures. And, after some more time of shouting, he stopped to catch his breath, and because of lack of tears. Or maybe because his eyes refused to release more tears, like if they were sparing the water for some reason. Why, Scar didn't know… for now.

When he made some silence, he could distinctively hear the sound of two breathings behind him. Scar turned around, and all the sadness that he could have was replaced by fear. And he had reasons to be scared!

Staring at him, with a completely bloodthirsty look, were two rogues, with identical looks. The only difference that Scar noticed was that one seemed to have his muzzle slightly dirty with blood, and the other not. The rogues had claws full-extended, and seemed ready to kill.

"Oh… no!" thought Scar. "I'm done for… why I couldn't just stay at Pride Rock?"

"Ready, Jambazi?" whispered one of the males.

"Sure, Nduli." answered the other.

And both the rogues crouched, ready to pounce. Scar also placed himself in a defensive posture, but he knew it was hopeless. He was outnumbered, and besides, even one of the rogues had enough physical potential to finish him off in a matter of minutes. But then, surprisingly, Scar heard one voice shouting: "Taka!"

He looked around, and the rogues as well, and he saw his mother running towards him. However, she had come in a really bad time. Now, she was endangered as well… and because of him! It was all his fault…

"Mother!" shouted Scar, terrified. "Get out of here!"

But Uru ran to her son, and looked at the two rogues, who seemed a little bit surprised, maybe almost fearful, of what would happen next. Maybe they thought that the lioness was only the first member of a coming wave of enemies. Maybe they thought that their chances had been significantly reduced.

But she only looked at the twins, and said: "Get out of my kingdom! I, Uru, as queen of the Pride Lands, order you to get out of my kingdom!"

The lions seemed relieved, or at least, decided to take the assumption that their current enemies were only the lioness and the thin lion. But Uru looked, in her own way, quite menacing.

Meanwhile, Scar tried to think in a battle strategy that would give them some chances of winning.

"Maybe I can make those lions to believe that mother brings reinforcements. Let's see…" thought Scar, while looking around the gorge to look for any kind of local feature that could bring benefits to him and his mother.

The only favorable thing that he noticed for them to use was that they were on a gorge… and that in fact could be used as an advantage. If they stepped back to the walls of the gorge, they would shield their backs, and… maybe wait for any kind of reinforcements… of climb the gorge and go away, calling for help…

So, he whispered: "Mother… let's step back very slowly to the wall of the gorge… and hope for any reinforcement that might come…"

"I think it is a good idea…" whispered Uru back.

However, they didn't risk to put their eyes away from the rogues, who would use any moment of distraction to attack them. They stepped back very slowly to the walls of the gorge… but Scar understood, a little bit too late, that they wouldn't have any chance of climbing the gorge in that place, or running away without the rogues catching them.

"Now, our only hope is to make them to believe that reinforcements are coming… and actually hope that they are coming!" thought Scar, shivering slightly, although he kept staring at the rogues angrily, without showing his fear.

But that hope was ruined, because Uru said: "If you don't leave right now, I'm afraid I might have to use violence!"

"And which violence?" asked Jambazi, with a sarcastically scared voice. "You are only a lion and a lioness… or better to say, a lioness and a thin lion, because that weakling barely…"

"I'm not weakling!" growled Scar, launching himself at Jambazi.

But the bigger and more experienced lion crouched, dodging Scar's attack. Right after Scar landed, Jambazi quickly turned and delivered a blow on Scar's side. The black maned lion fell in pain.

"Pathetic!" said Jambazi.

But, right on that moment, Uru roared, hoping that she would be heard: "Zuzu! Zazu! Warn the pride of our location!"

"Well…" said Jambazi. "I don't think that your pride heard you."

"As for Zazu and Zuzu…" began Nduli.

Then, he vommited some half-diggested meat and blood, and concluded: "They're history!"

"Monsters!" shouted Uru, pouncing on the rogue with unbelievable speed.

The surprised lion tried to crouch, but the lioness was extremely skilled in fight, and landed right on his back. Nduli shouted of pain, as the queen grabbed him with her claws.

Uru tried to plunge her claws as hard as she could inside the lion's flesh.

"Hold on!" shouted Jambazi, trying to run to help his brother.

But this time, someone pounced on him, and that someone also scratched him hard. It was Scar.

"Leave my mother alone!" shouted the youngest prince, trying to slash the lion's neck arterie.

But Jambazi, feeling that he was in trouble, shook himself with all the strenght he had, and Scar fell on the ground. Before he managed to get up, Jambazi pinned him on his back, and lifted his paw to kill the black maned lion.

Meanwhile, Nduli had managed to release himself from Uru, by making an attemp of rolling on the ground. If Uru was still on his back when he did it, she would be squashed.

But Uru jumped off the lion's back when he tried to roll. And that was his biggest mistake. Before Nduli managed to get up again, Uru quickly slashed his neck. Because of the lion's protective mane, the lioness' claws didn't plunge on Nduli's flesh enough to cut the neck arteries.

But Jambazi, seeing his brother in trouble, ignored Scar, and ran to help the other lion. However, Scar got up, and again landed on the rogue's back, trying to hold himself on that position.

"I'm your opponent!" said Scar, slashing Jambazi's back really hard. "Fight me!"

And he added in thought: "Attacking by behind is quite cheating, but it's the only way of saving mine and my mother's lives!"

But this attack also didn't work. Jambazi shook himself again, threw the smaller lion off his back, and knocked him out with a fast blow, shouting: "Leave me alone."

But Scar had sustained the rogue for enough time to Uru attack Nduli. She gave an extremely fast blow on the lion's neck, that again failed in cutting the neck arteries, but left the dark opponent half-suffocated, and breathing hardly.

The queen used that moment to give a blow on Nduli's face, and Nduli fell on the ground. Without wasting more time, Uru jumped on her opponent, pinned him on his back, and lifted her paw.

"This is impossible!" thought Nduli, terrified. "No one fights that well!"

The only lioness that he had known that was almost as skilled in fight as the queen of the Pride Lands was Malkha, his own former queen. But the attacking lioness was a Pridelander, for sure, eventhough he, watching more carefully, discovered some traits of a desert lioness on her.

"I won't allow any of you to hurt my son!" thought Uru, lifting her paw for the final blow. "I will protect him, even if I have to die!"

"I'm done!" whispered Nduli.

And those were his last words. The last recollections of the living world that Nduli had were Uru, lifting her paw, and slashing him with an amazing strenght, cutting both neck arteries, in spite of his protective mane… Jambazi's voice shouting: "NOOOO!", and a big lion pouncing on the lioness, probably Jambazi… and then he drifted away.

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When Jambazi had managed to knock out Scar, Nduli was already pinned on his back by Uru, and, when he ran to the lioness, she already had slashed both the neck arteries of his brother. He shouted "NOOOO!" with a voice full of despair, and pounced on the lioness. Finally, he had the lioness trapped under his paws, and because he had strucked her with all his mass on her chest, she was breathing hardly.

Jambazi didn't wait more. His big jaws grabbed the queen's throat, and he ripped it out totally. A fountain of blood sprayed him on the face. Jambazi got up, without worrying with Uru more, and spat the piece of meat that was once the throat of the lioness. She was dead.

And then, Jambazi walked slowly towards his brother… he wasn't moving at all… he wasn't even breathing… no… he couldn't be… the only family he had left… the best friend he ever had…

"Nduli…" sobbed Jambazi, walking slowly towards Nduli, and wrapping his paws around the other lion's mane. "Wake up… please… you can't be dead… WAKE UP, PLEASE!"

With the last shouts, tears began flowing of Jambazi's eyes. He sobbed even louder, bended down, and licked the face of his dead brother… it was hard to believe… but he was actually crying, and crying a lot.

"No… Nduli… not you…" cried Jambazi. "You can't be dead…"

Jambazi lifted his head, and looked around, to see Uru's dead body, and the knocked out Scar… that could be dead or not… but he didn't care about it anymore.

Because they had been kicked out of their pride early in life, Jambazi and Nduli nearly had no one except each other. And, because they shared a common will of vengeance against the Desertlanders, and a lot of things more, they were the most united brothers of the world. But they had also been, in a way, keeping the madness of eachother restrained. And, with Nduli dead, Jambazi could release all of his emotions freely.

"I will avenge you…" said Jambazi, still looking on Nduli's dead eyes. "I will avenge you… I will wipe out every single member of this dammed pride by myself, and then go to the Desert Lands, and kill every single of them, without spare no one. Literally! You, mom, and dad will be avenged! Nduli… you will be avenged…"

For the next hour, Jambazi just stayed there, hugging his dead brother tightly, and repeating ideas of revenge that got scarier by the minute, while his tears mixed with his blood fell on Nduli's body.

Finally, Jambazi got up, looked at Nduli, and said: "Tell to mommy and daddy… if you have seen them already, that I love them…Sorry, but there is another thing that I have to make, before avenging you, mom, and dad."

Jambazi gently closed the dead eyes of his brother, and then placed Nduli on his back, and left the gorge, looking for a decent grave to his brother.

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_What did you think? I hope this chapter was acceptable enough for you... please, review!_


	23. Chapter 22: The king's madness

_Well... sorry for all those retrospections, but some business needs to be explained. Probably some of you will be surprised (I hope that in a good way) about the outcome of this chapter... whatever, let's begin!_

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**Chapter 22 – The king's madness**

"It can't be!" said Zira in a disbeliefing voice, after Scar finished his story. "The rogues were Jambazi and Nduli? Are you sure of that?"

"Yes." said Scar, still full of sadness after remembering about his mother's death.

But then he added: "Why? Their names are rather scary, but are not as bad as being named "trash"!"

"It's not that!" said Zira, getting up. "I knew Jambazi and Nduli!"

"You knew?" asked Scar, amazed. "How?"

He later remembered when Zira told him about her own cubhood, and of a brief mention of those two lions.

"They were from my original pride, on the desert!" said Zira, almost shouting. "They…"

Then she stayed silent, like if she didn't want to say more about the twins. But, after a short break, she told their story to Scar.

About when they were among the nicest lions that she knew. About the confrontation with the rogues. And mainly, about the death of their parents and consequent exile of the twins.

"In the end…" concluded Zira. "My father, fearing that Jambazi and Nduli could endanger the pride, exiled them, and threatened them with the death sentence if they came back. Probably he regreted it… but there's nothing to do."

Scar thought exactly the same… there was nothing to do… but why it had to end up like that?

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When Scar woke up from his knocked out state, he looked around, still with a headache because of Jambazi's blow. He looked around, and he understood that he was still on the gorge, with no Jambazi around, and no Nduli around, but his mother was still there.

"Mother…" whispered Scar, walking to her very slowly. "Mother… wake up… please…"

When he finally came to Uru, he turned her neck to him, and he couldn't believe. Uru's throat had been completely ripped out by an attack of one of the rogues… it didn't care which, but probably was Jambazi. Scar hugged Uru's dead body, and tears began flowing of his eyes.

"No… mother…" sobbed Scar, hugging his mother, and licking her forehead.

Eventhough Uru's body was becoming cold, to Scar it still seemed that her paws had the typical warmth that he recalled since his cubhood, the paws that had stroked him affectionately when he was a cub… the paws that she used to protect him from his father's rage…

"No... not you, mother…" repeated Scar, this time with a fountain of tears coming out of each eye. "NOT YOU, MOTHER!"

Scar's tears began falling on Uru's fur, leaving darker spots where they fell. The black-maned lion was there for a long time, recalling all of the happy memories that he had from Uru… to understand that, in the end, it was useless to think about it, because she was dead…

But then, some voice, looking a lot like his grandfather's voice… whispered, like if it came with the wind: "No, Taka. She's not dead. As long as you remember her, she will keep living. In you."

Scar looked around, but there was no grandfather Mohatu there… there was only an empty gorge… him, and his mother's body. And the voice was so distant that it could seem almost a daydream to Scar, not an unusual thing when someone was consumed by grief.

Scar wasn't still ready to accept his mother's death, but he had to accept it. Now, he would have to take her to Pride Rock, for her to receive an appropriate funeral…

So, Scar tried to make sense of some of his commotion… closed his mother's dead eyes… placed her on his back, and walked towards Pride Rock.

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Ahadi only listened Scar arriving when he had already climbed all the way up to Pride Rock. He went to his son, to give him a punishment, but, when he noticed that Uru was on his son's back… dead… he… he felt like if his heart was grabbed and squashed with all the grief that he was feeling.

"NO!" shouted Ahadi in thoughts. "Not Uru… not you… you're everything to me… YOU CAN'T HAVE DIED!"

Scar placed Uru on the ground, and later, he just sat down. Ahadi ran to Uru, and lfited her head in his paws, looking at his mate's ripped out throat like if looking at it would make Uru's throat to heal and make her ressurect.

"NO…" sobbed Ahadi loudly, while tears were flowing from his eyes. "NOT YOU! YOU CAN'T BE DEAD, URU!"

Ahadi hugged Uru even tighter, licked his mate's face, and cried even more, with his head buried in Uru's neck.

All the pride had listened from inside the cave, and they all came to see. For some moments, everyone just sat still, as if they didn't believe either the sight of the dead Uru or of Ahadi crying in such an open way. Or maybe both. Mufasa began crying as much as Ahadi, while Sarabi tried to confort him. Uzuri began crying as well, while Sakia tried to confort her. Laini went to Uru, walking again very slowly because of her sickness that seemed to have become even worst, and finally, hugged Uru as well.

"It can't be…" said Laini between sobs. "Uru… my daughter… she can't be…"

The rest of the pride had their eyes bowed in respect, and Rafiki as well.

Mufasa released himself from Sarabi, and, joining to his mother and grandmother, placed his paws over his mother's dead body… he couldn't believe that his mother really had died… it was… so… he couldn't believe…

"Mother…" thought Mufasa. "Why? Why you? Why you had to die, just because of Scar's stupidity… no… not his stupidity… the stupid one was me… always me… because I trusted that my brother would forgive me… after I broke the only moment of happiness that he had with dad. He never wanted the throne, only love from dad! You were the only one to understand it! Why couldn't you just tell me? This is my entire fault. If I wasn't so selfish, and wouldn't have broken Scar's relationship with Sarabi, and caused this dammed wedding, he wouldn't have run away, you wouldn't have followed him… and you wouldn't have died! This is my entire fault. If not for me, Taka wouldn't have died… and we would be one loving family!"

But then, Mufasa noticed that Ahadi raised his head from Uru, and looked at Scar with a look even fuller of hatred than usual. Scar had his head bowed and was crying, but, when he heard Ahadi's growls, he looked up.

"You killed her!" thought Ahadi, still looking at his son like if he was a monster. "She was my mate… your mother… and you killed her! Like you didn't succeed at birth, you killed her now! I… WILL KILL YOU!"

And, before someone managed to stop him, Ahadi pounced on Scar, and landed on him with some kind of deadly precision. With one single blow from the enraged king, Scar was pushed some meters through the ground, almost against the wall.

"Oh…" said Mufasa, looking shocked on what his father had just done, with a completely shocked expression. "Dad is getting crazy! How can he think that Scar killed mom? Scar loved her like no one else in this world!"

"Scar!" shouted Zira, running in an attempt to help her friend.

She made an attemp to pounce on the king's back, and attack him. However, Ahadi noticed her, and knocked her out with a single blow, while she was in the middle of her pounce. Zira fell on the ground, and stayed still.

Scar looked at Ahadi, still with a blurred vision. He thought, while he saw Ahadi lifting his paw: "He hates me. He thinks that I killed mother. And maybe I killed… by leaving Pride Rock when were two rogues on the kingdom. Why I just couldn't repress myself of doing it? It's over…"

"DIE, MURDERER!" roared Ahadi, lowering his paw to the final blow.

However, before he managed to give it, one big lion pounced on him, making Ahadi to lose his balance temporarially. Scar looked at the lion… and noticed that the lion was Mega.

Ahadi got up, apparently still without believing that his best friend had attacked him. Ahadi looked at Mega with bared teeth, and said: "Get out of the way, Mega! GET OUT OF THE WAY, RIGHT NOW!"

"Don't even think about that!" said Mega, with full extended claws, and erected mane, placed between Ahadi and Scar. "Ahadi, you're acting like crazy! Please, act…"

"Shut up!" roared Ahadi, lauching himself at Mega, and grabbing his shoulders with his front paws, while, making an attempt of biting the other lion's neck.

Mega used his own front paws to push Ahadi enough to keep him far of his own neck, and the two lions ended up erected on their back paws, each one trying to push the other.

"Ahadi is crazy!" thought Mega. "I don't know what happened to him. I admit that his mother and mate's deaths are to take hard… but not THAT hard!"

Because Ahadi was a bigger lion, he soon managed to push Mega, and make him to lose his balance. Mega fell on his back, and Ahadi gave him one blow, but at least trying to be careful enough for only to knock him out.

"Now…" he looked at Scar, and made the same move. "Mother… Kimya… Uru… this one is for all of you!"

"Mega did nothing, after all." thought Scar, who still tried unsuccessfully to get up. "He only delayed my death… however, I never thought that he would go this far for me…"

But then, another lion pounced on Ahadi, pushing him. Scar noticed who he was… and faced another thought… one that he never thought to face again.

Mufasa was protecting him from his father's madness… like when they were cubs… before Mufasa revealed to be a traitor…

Ahadi got up slowly, still breathing shallowly, because Mufasa was becoming almost as big as Ahadi himself, and one hit from him was more painful than Mega's hit, that was only slightly smaller.

"I won't allow doing it." growled Mufasa, standing protectively between his father and brother. "I won't allow you to kill my brother."

"So… you still consider me as a brother." thought Scar, however, he was feeling quite… relieved, that Mufasa for once was on his side.

"Get out of the way, Mufasa!" growled Ahadi, getting up. "As your father, I order you to get out of the way!"

"AND I DON'T GET OUT OF THE WAY!" roared Mufasa. "I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO KILL SCAR!"

"I wanted to say "to kill Taka"." added Mufasa in thought. "But I allowed father to kill Taka a long time ago. In fact, I even collaborated in killing Taka! Why? Why mother had to die for me to understand what I have done?"

"If you don't get out of the way nicely, I will have to use violence!" shouted the king charging at his older son.

Mufasa also charged at him, and again, they began a fight. Ahadi slashed Mufasa's shoulder, but the older prince, even roaring in pain, charged to his father with full mass, and made him to fall on the ground. Then, he delivered a blow on Ahadi's side, marking it with four wounds. Ahadi roared in pain, and tried to get up, but Mufasa gave him a blow on the face, and he fell on the ground.

"This can't be…" thought Scar. "He is… why is he doing this?"

Then, Mufasa looked at Scar, and, like when they were cubs, Mufasa hugged him, and Scar cried on his shoulder. The only difference was that this time, both were crying, not only Scar.

Ahadi looked at Mega, who had just got up, and said: "Ahadi… please… be the Ahadi that you were when a cub… just for a moment…"

"I… want… to kill… Taka…" growled Ahadi with a voice full of rage, but silently, in a way that only Mega could hear. "I want to avenge my mother… Kimya… Uru… Uru…"

And then, surprisingly for everyone, probably even for Ahadi himself, he hugged Mega and cried on his friend's mane.

"Just like when we were cubs." thought Mega.

But then, they all turned their heads, and noticed another thing. Laini had lied down at Uru's side… and was breathing quite slowly…

"Grandma!" shouted Scar, running at her, followed by Mufasa.

Laini looked at both of her grandsons… who were bursting in tears again… and said: "Don't worry. It's all right. We all die, sooner or later…"

"Grandmother…" said Scar. "Not you… not now…"

"If you ever need me, look to the stars." said Laini, turning her head to the sky. "Don't worry. Remember… that I… will always be with you…"

And, with those words, the old lioness' head fell, right over Uru's body.

"Let's go." sobbed Mufasa to Scar. "I will help you digging their graves."

But it seemed there wouldn't be time for that in the moment, because Zazu appeared suddenly. He was also rather strange, with his feathers slightly dirty with blood, and it seemed that he had been crying.

"Sire!" shouted Zazu, flying to Ahadi. "Sire! There are serious problems!"

Zazu landed on Ahadi's shoulder, and shouted: "Two rogues! In the kingdom… one of them… ate my mother…"

Ahadi looked at Zazu, who began crying a little bit again, and then he understood that his son and mate had found the rogues, and that was why Uru had died. Thought it displeased him, he said: "We will settle this business of the rogues right now. Is the whole pride here?"

Zira had got up… all the pride seemed to be there… no… there was someone missing… who could be?

"Sarafina!" shouted Leo. "My sister is not here! We have to find her quickly!"

"First we worry ourselves with the rogues!" said Ahadi. "We have to find the rogues before they find your sister!"

Ahadi wasn't thinking with too much logic, because he was still sad and consumed by grief… but the rest of the pride wasn't thinking with too much logic as well, so, leaving Uzuri, Mimea, Sakia, Scar and Zira with Uru and Laini's bodies, the rest of the pride left Pride Rock, going to the gorge, where were the last signs of the rogues.

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"This place seems good enough." said Jambazi, arriving to the bank of the Border River with Nduli's dead body.

He placed Nduli on the ground, and pushed him to the water.

"Goodbye, Nduli." said Jambazi, in a voice that could sound gentle, but where a careful auditor would notice a light madness.

But Jambazi decided to follow the course of the river, until he would arrive to a waterfall.

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Sarafina was sitting down on the river bank, almost on the edge of the cliff, where there was a waterfall, and where the river would go to the Mighty Jungle, the jungle that was on the base of the cliff.

The lioness was sitting down thoughtfully, looking at the river. Everything seemed to be going in a so… confused way. Her best friend Sarabi had found love… her brother Leo was beginning to be good in relations with a lioness of the pride called Fani, and she? Who would she get as a mate? Scar? Not, deffinetly, because the outsider already had took him for her.

"I wonder what will happen with me." thought Sarafina, still looking to the river.

But then, she noticed something in the river that surprised her. The dead body of a lion was on the river, being taken by the current. The lion was quite dark in colours, and some blood was flowing from a huge wound on his neck, leaving the water slightly red in front of her.

Sarafina jumped back, seeing that, eventhough the lion was completely motionless, only moved by the fast stream of the river. Some more blood flown from the huge wound on the lion's neck, and then, the dead body of the carnivore disappeared behind the edge of the waterfall.

Sarafina was still trying to recover her breath, but then, she noticed, in the middle of the loud noise made by the river and the waterfall, another roar. She could barely distinguish it, but she heard enough to look left, and see an even more terrifying vision.

Another lion, looking just the dead one that she had seen falling of the waterfall, was staring at her with a complete blood-thirsty look. In fact, his mane, face, and paws were covered in blood, and the lion seemed wounded.

Sarafina shouted in fear, but after that, she tried to stand bravely, although she knew that only a miracle could save her.

Jambazi, who had been following the stream of the river, noticed Sarafina, and decided to begin the vengeance of his brother's death on the spot.

"Don't worry." said Jambazi sarcastically, while Sarafina noticed in fear that the teeth and tongue of the lion were also covered in blood. "If you stay still, I promise you that all will happen quite fast!"

Sarafina pounced on the rogue, grabbing his back temporarially, and managing to slash him one time. But then, the lion gave her a blow on her shoulder, that fortunately didn't kill her, and also didn't break any bone, but she fell heavily on the ground.

"Now…" said Jambazi, with pure madness and hatred on his look. "DIE!"

But, before he managed to deliver the final blow, another lion pushed him heavily, strucking him with all his mass. Jambazi rolled, and fell in the river. However, he managed to get up and stand there in spite of the fast stream.

Sarafina looked at the lion that had saved her. He had golden mane, quite darker fur, and blue eyes. He also had golden tufts on his elbows.

"Funny." said Sarafina. "He remembers me of someone… but who?"

The lion looked at her, and said: "Stay here, Sarafina. You'll be all right."

She didn't ask the lion how he knew her name. She was only relieved that someone had saved her. The golden-maned lion went towards Jambazi, who was still in the water, and entered the river.

"That was a big mistake!" growled Jambazi. "Now I will kill you first!"

And the enraged dark lion pounced on the golden lion, pinning him to the ground, and lifting his paw to slash the neck arteries of his rival, but the blue-eyed lion, who was bigger, plunged his claws deep in the lion's shoulder, and Jambazi had to release his opponent.

He stepped some meters backwards, while the blue-eyed lion walked towards him. Jambazi only had his head above the water, but then he realised that, without being quick, the current would take him.

So, he pounced on his opponent again, and pinned him underwater, trying to drown him, but at the same time trying to slash his arteries.

However, right before he managed to do it, Sarafina jumped on him, and pushed him as hard as she could. Not too much, but enough to release the drowning lion. Jambazi threw Sarafina back to the river bank, but, before he managed to attack again, the golden-maned lion got up, and slashed Jambazi's neck arterie in a desperate move.

But he succeeded, and then, hitting with all his strenght, pushed the lion to deeper waters. Jambazi felt the current taking him, but he was getting too weak to do anything.

"Why?" shouted Jambazi in thoughts, because he couldn't risk shouting or the water would get in his mouth.

He felt his own body falling by the edge of the waterfall. He looked down, and saw the bottom of the waterfall coming closer… while he felt himself weaker and weaker…

"It can't be…" cried Jambazi. "It's not fair! I died without avenging my brother and parents! It's not fair!"

After some more time of falling, when he was almost dead, he noticed a dark form on the bottom of the waterfall… that looked just like a lion… it was Nduli's dead body.

"It's over." thought Jambazi. "At least, my brother and I ended up together, and reunited with my parents. Mom… dad… Nduli… I'm coming."

Right before his body hit the water, he drifted away.

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When Jambazi woke up, he didn't know what to think, or to feel. The only thing that he noticed was that he was on a place – a place that he had never seen before. But yet, it was the most beautiful place that he had ever seen on his life. There was a river there, and it crossed a vast plain, filled with deep green and soft grass. For some moments, the lion just looked at the place, but then, he wondered again what could this place be. And, most importantly, how did he get there? Maybe the river had taken him that place… but then he noticed another thing. His neck should be injured… but, now that he thought about the fact, it seemed that all of his injuries had suddenly healed.

And not only that. When Jambazi watched his paw closely, he understood another thing. It was glowing. But then… there was only one logical explanation for the whole thing.

"Am I…" asked Jambazi, eventhough he didn't see anyone there to answer him. But, much to his surprise, someone did.

"Dead?" concluded the other voice for him. "Yes, I believe we can say that."

The shock of hearing that voice made Jambazi to instantly turn on it's direction. And he couldn't believe what his eyes saw.

Right in front of him, was Nduli. And he was also glowing, and all of his injuries had healed without leaving a mark. For some moments, both lions just stood there, immobile, before pouncing on each other like small cubs, and hugging each other tightly.

"I in fact didn't want to wait too much." said Nduli playfully. "I died only about two hours ago, and you already joined me."

Jambazi burst in laughter at the comment. Now, everything seemed joyful… except…

Nduli also seemed to remember that thing, and the joy of the two lions stopped instantly.

"But…" said Jambazi, almost crying. "We failed! We didn't avenge mother and father… we…"

"Hush!" said one voice that both the twins knew well.

They looked forward, but there was nobody else there. However, as they turned backwards, two orbs of light suddenly appeared, and soon after there were two lions in front of them. Two lions that the twins knew well.

"Mom?" asked Jambazi and Nduli right on the same time. "Dad?"

"That's right, son." replied Kizingo.

For some moments, the four stayed silent, but then, Kizingo and Ukame ran to their sons. The twins hugged their father both at the same time.

"We weren't thinking that you could come so soon, but now you're here." said Ukame, licking Nduli's forehead and Jambazi's muzzle after they stopped hugging their father.

"Mom…" said Nduli. "Dad… we…"

"Calm down." said Ukame with a smile. "Nothing of it matters now. We are all dead, we can all forget what we've done down there."

But still, the twins lowered their heads, with their ears also lowered and shameful looks on their faces.

"But, if that is enough for you: we forgive you." said Kizingo, and the twins brightened up at that comment. "We just hope that you forgive us, because of the way how we shouted to you… you know…"

But Jambazi and Nduli weren't hearing, and then, the three lions and the lioness hugged in a family hug. Now, they were all in peace.

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"Are you alright?" asked the golden lion to Sarafina.

"Don't worry about me, how are you?" asked the lioness, licking the wounds of her saviour.

"I'm alright, Saffy, thanks." said the lion, smiling.

"Who do you think that you are to call me Saffy?" asked Sarafina, almost roaring. "And by the way, how do you know my name?"

"Then…" asked the lion, making a sad stare. "Don't you remember me? When we played as cubs?"

Sarafina finally understood who the lion was. She only knew one lion with his features… however, he was around five years older since the last time they had seen each other.

"Moyo?" asked Sarafina hopefully. "Is that you?"

"Yes!" replied Moyo. "Finally you remember about me!"

The lion and the lioness hugged each other, and after that they nuzzled each other.

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"I still remember when Sarafina returned with that Moyo, and how they were nuzzling each other." thought Scar bitterly.

In fact, he hadn't anything against Moyo, he just wasn't standing the fact that Mufasa, after seeing that Moyo saved Sarafina's life, had accepted him with an amazing speed. In fact, that wasn't the most amazing thing. The most amazing was that Mufasa said that he was the king and welcomed him into his lands – it seemed that he had assumed the throne as soon as he saw that his mother had died.

"And yet they dare to call Zira an outsider!" growled Scar in thought.

He looked at Zira, and thought: "I can't try anything more to be king until two months from now, but, when I try, I will be successful! It will take two months… but I'm patient."

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_What did you think? I wanted to give Jambazi and Nduli a happy ending... or at least, the happiest ending that they could have on their condition. Please, review! _


	24. Chapter 23: The morning report

_Here it comes a new chapter. Sorry, but now we will return to novelisation parts for a moment... but, in an attempt to make up for that, I inserted the song "I just can't wait to be king" in a new scene, because the old one was a little complicated... and with mixing of the two movies... Whatever, for those who don't know, the song "The Morning Report" was on the special version of the DVD. Oh, I nearly forgot! Shundwa (female) is my character, and is not to be used without my permission. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 23 – The morning report**

Two months passed without any particularly strange thing happening. Mufasa was amazed when Tojo wanted to ask him things about weddings, but he also didn't give any real answer to the blue-eyed male about weddings, which left Tojo particularly bored, but he tried not to show his boredom to anyone.

Surprisingly, when Kula and Kilia returned from their misterious talking with Wingu and Uzuri, they stopped their usual discussions, and even stopped tormenting Tojo. Simba and Nala defined the attitude of the two female cubs as a "tactical agreement", but, after that, the pride gained some peace, because of the absence of discussions between the two cubs. But, one day, two months after Tojo's questions about weddings, came the next thing that was important to notice, at least for Simba.

One day, when Simba was eight months old, he woke up before sunrise, and went to the edge of Pride Rock, looking at the Pride Lands. He was feeling very excited, because that was the day when he would begin his first lessons of how to be king with his father. He watched the Pride Lands for some seconds, and they ran back to the cave, to meet Mufasa, shouting enthusiastically: "Dad, dad! Come on dad, we gotta go! Wake up!"

While running to Mufasa, he accidentally bumped on Timiza, who said: "Oomph!"

And then she fell on the ground.

"Sorry!" said Simba before going to meet Mufasa.

"Dad, dad!" said Simba at Mufasa's ear.

"Your son is awake…" said Sarabi in a sleepy voice.

"Before sunrise, he's your son." replied Mufasa in the same sleepy voice.

At that time, Simba, who kept saying "Dad." during Mufasa and Sarabi's talk, said: "Dad, dad! Come on, dad!"

Tired of waiting, Simba tugged Mufasa's ear, but lost his grip on Mufasa's ear, bumped into Leo, and after saying: "Sorry.", Simba ran back and butted Mufasa. Mufasa finally opened his eyes, and looked sleepily at him.

"You promised!" said Simba, really impatient, and with a slightly angry stare.

"Okay, okay…" said Mufasa, seeing his son's impatience. "I'm up, I'm up."

"Yeah!" said Simba, smiling and running outside the cave.

Mufasa yawned, Sarabi woke up, and they followed Simba. Simba rubbed against Sarabi's left front paw, she nudged him affectionately ahead and watched Simba and Mufasa going to the top of Pride Rock, with a big smile on her face.

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On the top of Pride Rock, Mufasa began to speak to Simba.

"Look, Simba." said Mufasa. "Everything the light touches is our kingdom."

"Wow!" said Simba, completely astonished.

He had never seen the Pride Lands from above, or, at least, from such a big height. Mufasa smiled for some time at his son's amazement, remembering his own reaction when he saw the Pride Lands from there, and then he kept speaking: "A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set up my time here, and will rise with you as the new king."

"And this will all be mine?" asked Simba, still amazed.

"Everything." said Mufasa.

"Everything the light touches." repeated Simba.

But then, he walked for the top of Pride Rock, seeing the Pride Lands better, noticed a rip-rap canyon, and asked: "What about that shadowy place?"

"That's beyond our borders." said Mufasa, in a serious voice. "You must never go there, Simba."

"But I thought a king can do whatever he wants." replied Simba.

"Oh, there's more to being king that… getting your way all the time." said Mufasa, starting to back down from Pride Rock.

"There's more?" asked Simba, completely awed.

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Shortly after, Mufasa and Simba wered out walking in the savannah. Mufasa continued his explanations to Simba, who seemed really interested, but at the same time confused.

"Everything you see exists together, in a delicate balance." explained Mufasa. "As king, you need to understand that balance, and respect all creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

"But dad, don't we eat the antelope?" asked Simba, getting even more confused.

"Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass. And the antelope eat the grass. And so, we're all connected in the great Circle of Life.

"Good morning, sire." said Zazu, landing on a nearby rock.

"Good morning, Zazu." said Mufasa.

"Checking in with the morning report." said Zazu.

"Fire away." said Mufasa.

/"_Morning report_" song. It's like the one seen in the special edition of the movie. Simba and Mufasa are looking at Zazu./

First verse: Zazu

_Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all_

_Elephants remember, though just what, I can't recall_

/The Gopher appears from the ground. Simba notices him, and tries to pounce him, while Zazu keeps singing./

_Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks_

_Shown interest in my nest egg but I quickly said "No thanks!"_

_We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch_

_Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch._

/Zazu laughs a little bit embarrassed, and then keeps singing./

Chorus: Zazu

_This is the morning report_

_Gives you the long and the short._

/The Gopher repeatedly tries to catch Zazu's attention, but Simba tries to pounce again. Gopher is angry at Simba, but Zazu keeps singing./

_It's every grunt, roar, and snort_

_Not a tale I distort_

_On the morning report_

/Simba tries again to pounce Gopher, but Gopher escapes him, and Simba hits his head against a rock.

"What are you doing, son?" asked Mufasa.

"Pouncing." said Simba, rubbing his head.

"Let an old pro show you how it's done." said Mufasa with a smile./

Second verse: Zazu

_The buffalo have got a beef_

_About this season's grass _

/(Camera is focused on Mufasa and Simba)

Mufasa (whispering to Simba, while lowering him with his paw): "Stay low… to the ground."/

_Warthogs have been thwarted_

_In attempts to save their gas_

/(Camera changes it's perspective, in a way that we see crouched Simba, Mufasa's head, and singing Zazu)

Simba: /Whispering to Mufasa/"Yeah, okay, stay to the ground, right."/

_Flamingoes in the pink and_

_Chasing secretary birds_

/(Camera focuses on the crouched Simba, but allows us to see part of Mufasa's muzzle)

Mufasa: (Whispering to Simba) "Shh, not a sound."/

_Saffron is the season's colour _

_Seen in all the herds_

/Camera focuses on the singing Zazu, but we hear Mufasa's whispers.

Mufasa: "Take it slow."/

_Moving down the rank and file_

/Mufasa: "One more step."/

_To near the bottom rung_

_Far too many beetles are_

/Mufasa: "Then…"/

_Quite frankly in the dung_

/Zazu concludes his singing, and then Simba pounces him. Camera temporarially changes to the laughing Mufasa. After that Simba leaving Zazu stunned in the ground, drops him./

Chorus: Simba

_This is the morning report_

_Gives you the long and the short_

/Zazu manages to get up, but Simba charges at him, and Zazu turns to the other side, but Simba blocks again Zazu's way, and keeps singing, while blocking Zazu, who tries to run away./

_Every grunt, roar, and snort_

_Not a tale I distort_

/Zazu tries to run away, but Simba grabs him by the tail, and keeps singing, but without dropping Zazu, who begins to fly, pulling Simba./

_On the morning report._

/Zazu tries to beak Simba's head, but Simba throws Zazu to the ground, leaving him completely stunned. Music finishes. Mufasa laughs./

"That's very good." said Mufasa, when Simba turned back to him.

Finally, Gopher emerged under Zazu, and said: "Zazu!"

"Yes?" asked Zazu, exasperated.

Gopher salutes him, and said: "Sir, News from the underground."

"Now, this time…" said Mufasa to Simba, but then Zazu interrupted them.

"Sir, hyenas! In the Pride Lands!" said Zazu, with urgency in his voice.

"Zazu, take Simba home!" said Mufasa, seriously, beginning to run

"Oh, dad, can't I come?" asked Simba hopefully.

"No, son." said Mufasa curtly, before heading off at a full gallop.

"I never get to go anywhere." said Simba, in an annoyed voice.

"Oh, young master, one day you will be king." said Zazu, flying off the ground. "Then you can chase those slobbering mangy stupid poachers from dawn until dusk.

Simba was still contraried, but he said nothing, and the two head off, returning to Pride Rock.

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Some time later, on Pride Rock, Simba decided to find Scar, Zira and Kisasian to tell them about the news. For that, he went to their usual ledge. He found Scar there, kicking off one old bone, but Zira and Kisasian weren't there, so he decided to tell it only to Scar. He went closer to meet his uncle, and said: "Hey, Uncle Scar, guess what?"

"I despise guessing games." said Scar, turning to Simba

"I'm gonna be king of Pride Rock!" said Simba happily.

"Oh, goody." says Scar, sarcastically.

Seemingly without hearing his uncle, Simba ran to the edge of the rock, and said: "My father showed me the whole kingdom…"

Then he added, in a slightly greedy voice: "… and I'm gonna rule it all."

"Yes." said Scar, seemingly without paying attention. "Well, forgive me for not leaping for joy. Bad back, you know."

Scar flopped down on his side. Simba ran to him, lied down on his head, and asked, slightly curious: "Hey, Uncle Scar, when I'm king, what'll that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle." said Scar.

Simba rolled of his uncle's head, chuckling, and said: "You're so weird."

"You have no idea." said Scar sarcastically.

Then, he got up, walked a little bit more, and said: "So, your father shown you the whole kingdom, alright?"

"Everything." said Simba enthusiastically, running to Scar.

"He didn't show you what's beyond that rise at the northern border?" asked Scar, sitting down.

"Oh, no…" said Simba, slightly disappointed. "… he said I can't go there."

"And he's absolutely right. It's far too dangerous. Only the bravest lions go there." said Scar.

"Well, I'm brave." said Simba. "What's out th…?"

"No, I'm sorry Simba." said Scar, interrupting him, and lying down. "I just can't tell you."

"Why not?" asked Simba.

"Simba, Simba." said Scar. "I'm just looking out for the well-being of my favorite nephew."

Scar rubbed and patted Simba's head.

"Yeah, right." said Simba, snorting sarcastically. "I'm your only nephew."

"All the more reason for me to be protective." said Scar. "An Elephant Graveyard is no place for a young prince."

Then he faked surprise and said: "Oops."

"An Elephant-what?" asks Simba enthusiastically. "Whoa!"

"Oh, no, I've said too much." said Scar, faking dismay. "Well, I suppose you'd have found out sooner or later, you being SO clever at all."

Scar pulled Simba near him, and continued: "Just do me one favor. Promise us that you'll never visit that dreadful place."

"No problem." said Simba, after thinking a little.

"There's a good lad." said Scar. "You run along now, and have fun. And remember, it's our little secret."

Simba left the ledge, while Scar walked away with an evil smile. Simba was so predictable. Just like he was when he was a cub… when he was still Taka… but that was a past. He would have to go to the Elephant Graveyard, and tell the hyenas to carry on the plan.

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"Shenzi!" called Scar, after having arrived to the Elephant Graveyard. "Banzai! Ed! Are you there?"

A lot of hyenas came out of their hideouts, and the triplets ran to Scar, like they always did when Scar went there. Shenzi asked: "What is it, Scar?"

"Listen, today, my nephew Simba will come here. If you manage to dispose of him, it will be one free obstacle for me to take the throne, and for you to live on the Pride Lands!"

"Sounds nice!" said Banzai. "What will we have to do?"

Scar told the plan to his triplets, who heard it carefully. All the hyenas were listening carefully as well.

"In the end…" said Scar. "I want you three to kill Simba. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Scar!" said Shenzi.

Ed laughed, and Scar told to the other hyenas: "For you, it's better if Simba doesn't see you, under any circunstances. Just follow like I planned."

The hyenas were bored, but accepted.

"It's strange to believe that raising three hyena pups would allow me to have such a big clan working for me." thought Scar.

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Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were on the Outlands, stalking a zebra. It was pure luck that he managed to find such a big zebra on such an unfertile place. However, on their last meeting, Scar had told them to get out of the Pride Lands, because the pride was looking for them.

The last time that they had seen Scar was about nine months ago, on the day of his mother's death. Scar and Zira had gone to the Elephant Graveyard, and the hyenas gave their condolences to their caretaker. However, Scar also had warned them that the pride was looking actively for any suspicious creature, and that it was very dangerous for them to go there.

So, they were stalking a zebra, and using a mixed technique of lion hunting with hyena hunting that Scar had taught them. They stalked their prey coming as close as they could, like lions did, but they could chase their prey for longer distances than lions, because hyenas have more endurance.

But, right before they jumped to chase the zebra, their prey ran away.

"Damn it!" said Banzai.

"Get it!" growled Shenzi.

The three hyenas jumped of their hideouts to chase the zebra. It was quite dangerous for them, because a zebra, even lonely, wasn't completely defenceless against the three hyenas. But, in the Outlands, was better risking to chase a dangerous prey than stay unharmed and die of hunger.

The triplets ran to the zebra, but she was fast, and tough. However, after some miles of running, the zebra was getting tired, which allowed to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed to approach her. Shenzi bit one of the zebra's front paws, and Banzai bit one of the zebra's hind paws, while Ed bit the other. The scavengers bit as hard as they could, and they felt the zebra's bones breaking under their bites.

With only one unharmed paw, the zebra fell, and finally, Banzai bit his prey's neck.

"Let's feast!" said Banzai, licking his lips.

"You bet!" said Shenzi.

Ed laughed, but, on that time, they turned back, and noticed what made the zebra to run away before time. A huge clan was approaching, with a dark-brown hyena on the lead.

"We're toasted!" said Banzai, scared.

And that seemed the most pure truth. The clan had at least a hundred hyenas. But hyenas are quite stubborn, and the triplets weren't ready to give up their prey, and bared their teeth, ready to fight.

Suddenly, the leading hyena stopped, and some others of the group stopped at the same time. The rest of the clan stopped shortly after. The leading hyena looked at Shenzi, and said, in a reverential voice: "My lady…"

And after that, she bowed. Another fifty hyenas of the clan, mainly the older ones, bowed at the same time as the leading hyena, but the other half seemed surprised. However, the most surprised of them all was Shenzi, who didn't understand at all what was happening.

"My lady?" asked Shenzi, confused. "What do you mean?"

"But… lady Sharia…" repeated the hyena.

"You knew our mother?" interrupted Banzai.

The hyena lifted her head, and asked to Shenzi: "You're not lady Sharia? But… who are you?"

"I'm Shenzi, her daughter." said Shenzi, trying to sound official. "These are my brothers, Banzai, and Ed."

Ed laughed, and waved at the hyenas. Then, Shenzi asked: "And you, who are you?"

"I'm Shundwa." said the female dark-brown hyena. "I knew your mother, lady Shenzi. I was from her clan, before it was broken apart after a war with another clan. I and fifty hyenas escaped, and… so your mother escaped as well?"

"Yes." answered Shenzi. "She, my father, and twenty hyenas more escaped as well. But on the Pride Lands, over there, my father and all the other hyenas were killed by the lions. My mother survived for some more time, enough time for we to be born, but she died when we were only three months old."

And then, Shenzi thought for a while… the hyenas were being loyal to her… a hundred hyenas were being loyal to her… that meant… she would be leader of a big clan. And that… represented a lot of possibilites. One of those possibilities, that had been in her mind during all her cubhood returned to her instantly. The new leader of the clan turned to the formero one, and asked: "Shundwa… and all of you… would you accept to help us to avenge the death of our parents?"

"Yes!" replied Shundwa almost instantly, and the rest of the clan bowed in respect shortly after.

Seeing that all the clan agreed, eventhough some of the younger hyenas took more time, Shenzi said: "Good… we'll do it tonight."

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"However, I think that I would prefer if I got to know them in another way than how they showed themselves." thought Scar, remembering what the hyenas had done right on that night.

Scar watched the hyenas, and then he said: "Oh… forget that. Let's just focuse on the plan."

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While Scar talked with the hyenas, Simba went to the lower part of Pride Rock, where Alama, Sabini, and Timiza are having a sun bath. Then, he ran to another zone slightly further, where Sarafina was giving Nala a bath, and Sarabi was sleeping under a tree.

"Hey, Nala." said Simba, after making sure that Sarabi is sleeping.

"Hi, Simba." said Nala, smiling.

"Come on. I just heard about this great place." whispered Simba to Nala.

"Simba, I'm kind of in the middle of a bath." said Nala through clenched teeth.

"And it's time for yours." said Sarabi.

Simba tried, a little bit too late, to escape, but Sarabi bended down, and easily picked Simba by the scruff, placed him in her paws, and started bathing him, while Simba struggled. He said: "Mom! …Mom. You're messing up my mane."

Sarabi smiled at him. Simba jumped of her paws, puts the messed fur in the place, and said: "OK, OK, I'm clean. Can we go now?"

"So, where are we going?" asked Nala, while Sarafina kept bathing her. "It better not be any place dumb."

"No, it's really cool." said Simba.

"And where is this really cool place?" asked Sarabi.

"Uh…" said Simba.

He would have to lie. He thought a little bit, and said: "Around the waterhole."

"The waterhole?" asked Nala, in an almost shocked voice. "What's so great about the waterhole?"

"I'll show you when we get there." whispered Simba.

"Oh…" whispered Nala, finally coming to the point.

Then, she added loud: "Mom, can I go with Simba?"

"Hum… what do you think, Sarabi?" asked Sarafina.

Both the lionesses had the suspect that there was something going on there, and Sarabi said: "Well…"

"Pleeeeease?" asked both Simba and Nala through broad, forced grins.

"It's alright with me." said Sarabi, smiling.

Simba and Nala ran off, overjoyed. But the joy didn't last for long, because Sarabi soon completed: "As long as Zazu goes with you."

"No, not Zazu!" said Simba, while his, and Nala's joy, stopped.

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But Zazu really went with the two cubs, and, some time later, when they were already close to the waterhole, Zazu said. "Step lively. The sooner we get to the waterhole, the sooner we can leave."

"So, where are we really going?" asked Nala to Simba.

"An Elephant Graveyard." whispered Simba.

"Wow!" said Nala.

"Shhh!" said Simba. "Zazu!"

"Right." whispered Nala. "So how are we gonna ditch the dodo?"

Some time later, Simba and Nala went to the waterhole, and started swimming while Zazu looked at them. An elephant herd, a group of buffalos, and a group of rhinoceros are drinking in the waterhole. Then, Zazu began speaking, while watching Simba and Nala.

"Oh, just look at you." said Zazu. "Two little seeds of romance blossoming in the savannah. Your parents will be thrilled… what with you being betrothed and all.

"Be-what?" asked Simba, while he and Nala came out of the water.

"Betrothed. Intended. Affianced." said Zazu.

"You mean…" asked Nala, staring to get to the point.

"One day you two will get married." said Zazu.

"Yuck!" said Simba.

"Ewww." said Nala.

"I can't marry her, she's my friend!" said Simba, almost shocked.

"Yeah, it'd be too weird." said Nala. "For example, is Mheetu betrothed to someone?"

"Not for now." said Zazu. "But you two already are to each other, and now you have no choice. It's a tradition going back generations."

"Well, when I'm king, that'll be the first thing to go." said Simba.

"Not as long as I'm around." said Zazu.

"So you're fired." replied Simba.

"Nice try, but only the king can do that." said Zazu, poking Simba's nose.

"Well, he's the future king." said Nala.

"Yeah, so you have to do what I tell you." said Simba.

"Not yet, I don't!" said Zazu. "And with an attitude like that I'm afraid you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed."

"Hmmp. Not the way I see it." said Simba.

/"I just can't wait to be king." song. It's like the one in the movie, but is seen with a different background. A buffalo has his head low. Simba climbs to hit, and the buffalo puts his head up./

Simba:

_I'm gonna be a mighty king_

_So enemies beware!_

/Zazu lands on the buffalo's back./

Zazu:

_Well, I've never seen a king of beasts_

_With quite so little hair_

/Zazu plucks Simba's hair where mane should be. Simba jumps of the buffalo, gets a mane of leaves./

Simba:

_I'm gonna be the mane event_

_Like no king was before._

/He runs to Zazu, who is on the ground./

_I'm brushing up on looking down_

_I'm working on my ROAR!_

/On "ROAR" he shouts at Zazu, who falls in a puddle. Zazu comes out, dries on what appears to be a grey towel, and sings./

Zazu:

_Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing._

/The towel turns out to be the trunk of an elephant. The elephant throws Zazu to the air, while another elephant lifts Simba and Nala on his trunk./

Simba:

_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_

/Zazu lands on the elephant's head, and says "You've rather a long way to go, young master, if you think…" Simba ignores Zazu./

Simba: _No one saying do this_

Nala: _No one saying be there_

Simba: _No one saying stop that_

Simba and Nala: _No one saying see here!_

/"Now see here!" shouts Zazu. But Simba ignores him, and he and Nala begin to run around the lake. Some time later, they stop./

Simba:

_Free to run around all day_

/"Well, that's definitely out." says Zazu, flying towards Simba./

_Free to do it all my way._

/Simba and Nala run again. Zazu catches them, and looking back to speak to them, says: "I think it's time that you and I arranged a heart to heart." But Zazu bumps against a rhinoceros. Simba and Nala stop running./

_Kings don't need advice_

_From little hornbills for a start_

/Zazu then lands on the ground./

Zazu:

_If this is where the monarchy is headed_

_COUNT ME OUT!_

_Out of service, out of Africa_

_I wouldn't hang about… agh!_

/Nala pounces on Zazu. After that, she and Simba keep running, while Zazu gets up, and says: "This child is getting wildly out of wing!"/

Simba: _Oh, I just can't wait to be king._

/They trot up between a corridor of buffalos standing at attention; when Zazu follows, they all turn around. Zazu covers himself with a wing. Camera changes to Simba and Nala sitting on an elephants head. All the animals that were around the lake are walking in a single group. The elephants form a line, and the rhinoceroses and the buffalos are beside the elephants. Zazu tries to follow them./

Simba:

_Everybody look left_

/They all turn left, and Zazu is almost squashed. Simba sings again./

_Everybody look right_

_Everywhere you look I'm_

_Standing in the spot light!_

/"Not yet!" says Zazu, but an elephant grabs him in his trunk and lows his trunk./

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Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa were sleeping inside their cave. But Timon woke up with Simba's song. He went to fetch a long stick, and used it to bang on the ceiling, shouting: "Hey, keep it down up there!"

"We have neighbors?" asked Pumbaa, waking up. "We should go say hello."

"Noisy neighbors." said Timon. "There go the property values."

/They come out of the cave, and Timon looks furious and is grabbing a stick. The camera changes again to the animals./

Animals:

_Let's every creature go for broke and sing_

_Let's heard it in the herd and on the wing_

_It's gonna be king Simba's finest thing!_

Simba:

_Oh, I Just can't wait to be king._

_Oh, I just can't wait to be king._

/"Perfect." says Timon, who is watching with Pumbaa. "Here is comes a theatre group. Get a load of these guys." He then thwacks the last elephant of the line with his stick, shouting: "Now, get off!" The elephant causes a stampede, while Simba keeps singing./

_Oh, I just can't wait…_

/"Timon, LOOKOUT!" shouts Pumbaa, before grabbing Timon with his mouth, and taking him back to the cave. Simba concludes the song./

…_TO BE KING!_

/There is a stampede. Simba and Nala manage to escape, but a rhino is sitting on Zazu./

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In a safe place, Simba and Nala saw if each other is alright.

"Are you OK?" asked Simba.

"I'm OK." said Nala. "What about you?"

"Me either." said Simba. "I wonder what happened."

"At least we ditched the dodo." said Nala. "Let's get out of here before he comes back."

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Inside their cave, Timon and Pumbaa checked out if each one of them is fine.

"Are you OK, Timon?" asked Pumbaa.

"I am." said Timon. "And you, Pumbaa?"

"Me either." said Pumbaa. "Let's get out and see the damage caused."

They went outside the cave, and found out that the stampede destroyed the trees, Timon's hammock, and left the lake full of mud and leaves. They noticed a rhino just getting up, and a blue hornbill flying from down him.

"Looks like the monkey was wrong." said Timon.

"Well, we only have to follow again what he told you." said Pumbaa.

"I have an idea." said Timon. "We only have to follow again what he told me! I have to look again beyond what I see."

"Alright." said Pumbaa. "Our paradise can't be too far."

Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, and they walked away.

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_What did you think? Well, I know that most of it was novelisation from the movies, but still I ask if I mixed the two movies properly. As for the origins of the hyena-clan... sorry for being rather sudden, but I have rather limited patience when it comes to hyenas. But anyway, review, please!_


	25. Chapter 24: Another failure

_Here we go again. On this chapter, almost nothing is original... except for the song. Sorry if it sounds rather stupid... but it just came to my mind. Whatever... I hope you enjoy, or, at least, that you find this chapter as well written._

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**Chapter 24 – Another failure**

Some time later, Simba and Nala were already far from there. They had managed to run until close enough to the border, and had even crossed the Border River using the usual tree trunk as a bridge. Now, they were on the Outlands, but quite close to the place that Simba believed to be the Elephant Graveyard. But, in the mean time, they cheered up over their victory against Zazu.

They didn't know what caused the sudden stampede, eventhough Nala insisted (and Simba also had that impression) that she saw a meerkat and a warthog, and the meerkat hit one paw of one of the elephants with a stick, and that caused the stampede. However, that was just good for them, because they had lost Zazu.

"Now we really lost him." said Nala cheerfully.

"I… am a genius." said Simba arrogantly.

"Hey, genius, that was my idea." said Nala annoyed.

"Yeah, but I pulled up." replied Simba, still in his arrogant voice.

"With me!" said Nala.

"Oh, yes?" asked Simba.

Simba jumps to pin Nala, but Nala pinned him. It normally turned out like that. Sometimes, when Simba was more lucky, or simply a little bit more aggressive, he managed to pin Nala, but most of the times Nala emerged victorious. This was one of those times.

"Pinned ya." said Nala happily.

"Hey, lemme up!" said Simba, annoyed.

Nala turned around, smiling at her triumph. Simba, noticing that his friend was distracted, jumped again to pin Nala. And this time, they tussled more, they rolled down a short hill, but Nala pinned Simba again, on the same position.

"Pinned ya again." said Nala.

But, on that moment, both the cubs heard a noise that they hadn't heard before. They turned around, right on time to see that a geyser made a loud noise nearby, ejecting steam. Simba and Nala looked around, and saw a dark craggy valley filled with skeletons of elephants.

"This is it. We made it." whispered Simba.

They see a gigantic elephant skull on a ledge, and went on its direction. They looked over one of the skull's tusks, and saw the whole place. It was another valley full of skeletons of various animals, but mainly of elephants, as far as eye can see.

"Whoa…" said Simba and Nala together.

"It is really creepy." added Nala shortly after.

They stayed silent for some time, looking at the place. The valley was quite dark, because the steam from the geysers completely covered the sky, and stopped most of the sunlight of coming to the ground.

"Isn't it great?" asked Simba happily.

"We could get in big trouble." said Nala in a slightly naughty voice.

"I know, huh!" said Simba, enjoying it also.

They stood a little bit further of the huge elephant tusk, and then contemplated the huge skull, looking at it with a curious, and also slightly amazed, expression.

"I wonder if it's brains are still in there!" whispered Nala.

"There's only one way to know." said Simba, walking towards the skull. "Come on, let's go check it out."

Simba kept his way towards the big skull, but then something happened that stopped him from keeping exploring.

"WRONG!" shouted Zazu, appearing suddenly in front of Simba. "The only checking out we'll do is the checking out of here. We're way beyond the boundary of Pride Lands."

"Oh, look, Banana Beak is scared." said Simba, in a mocking voice, before laughing.

"That's Mister Banana Beak to you, fuzzy." said Zazu in a furious voice, poking Simba's nose.

Then, he returned to his scared voice, and added: "And right now we are all in very real danger."

"Danger?" asked Simba, moving closer to the entrance of skull. "I walk on the wild side. I laugh at the face of danger! Ha ha ha ha!

Suddenly, more laughing came from inside the skull. Simba, scared with the sudden creepy sound, ran back and hid behind Nala and Zazu, while three hyenas came out from the skull's eyes and mouth. The biggest, and the only female of the group, said: "Well, well, well, Banzai. What have we here?"

"I don't know, Shenzi." answered one of the males. "What do you think, Ed?"

The second male, with two round cuts on each ear, simply laughed crazily, while the trio kept coming closer of the two cubs and the bird. Simba and Nala looked at each other for some time, recognizing all the three hyenas, remembering that they had seen them during their trip to the Outlands, when they met Bovu and Shimo. But now, the important thing wasn't to know them, was to escape of them.

"Just as I was thinking." said Banzai, looking to the cubs and Zazu. "A trio of trespassers!"

"It was quite an accident, let me assure you." said Zazu, in a slightly scared voice. "A simple navigational error."

Simba, Nala, and the bird tried to go away discretly, but Shenzi stepped on Zazu's tail, and said sarcastically: "Whoa, wait, wait, wait. I know you. You're Mufasa's little stooge."

"I, madam, am the king's majordomo!" said Zazu indignantly.

He realized that the hyena was being sarcastic again. They had seen each other numerous times, when the hyenas had tried to put him on the birdy-boiler, from where Mufasa had saved him numerous times.

"And that would make you?" asked Banzai to Simba, as the three hyenas walked around the cubs and Zazu.

"The future king!" shouted Simba, without showing any sign of fear.

Nala couldn't help but feel amazed at her friend's bravery towards the hyenas. Yet, it would be necessary more than bravery to escape the hyenas. They needed strenght, or intelligence, or someone to save them.

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?" asked Shenzi.

"Puh. You can't do anything to me." said Simba disdainfully.

"Technically, they can, we are on their land." said Zazu, trying to correct him.

"But Zazu, you said that they were nothing but slobbery mangy stupid poachers!" whispered Simba to Zazu.

"Ix-nay, on the oopid-stay…" said Zazu surreptitiously to Simba.

Unfortunately, it wasn't surreptitiously enough, as Banzai heard him and snarled: "Who are you calling oopid-stay?"

"My, my, my!" said Zazu, trying to hasten the cubs away. "Look at the sun. It's time to go."

They tried to run away, but Shenzi suddenly blocked their way, and asked: "What's the hurry? We'd love you to stick around for lunch."

"Yeeaahhh" said Banzai. "We could have whatever's… "lion" around! Get it? Lion around!"

Banzai laughed of his own joke.

"Oh, wait, wait, wait!" said Shenzi, interrupting her brother's laugh. "I got one, I got one. Make mine a "cub" sandwich?"

Shenzi and Banzai laughed crazily, but suddenly Ed began pointing at some place.

"What, Ed? What is it?" asked Shenzi.

"Hey, did we order this dinner to go?" asked Banzai, looking to where Ed was pointing.

"No, why?" asked Shenzi, without understanding.

"Because there it goes!" shouted Banzai.

The two cubs and Zazu were running away, while the hyenas were making dumb jokes. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for the majordomo. One of the hyenas managed to grab Zazu by the tail.

However, Simba and Nala managed to escape, and when they stopped, already without breath, looked around, to see if some hyenas were chasing them. They didn't see anyone.

"Did we lose them?" asked Nala.

"I think so." answered Simba.

But, then, he noticed someone's absence, and asked:"Where's Zazu?"

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Banzai held Zazu near a steam-vent, with his brother and sister watching. They would just do what they usually did to Zazu, because the hornbill didn't seem to have enough value as food for any of the hyenas.

"The little majordomo bird hippity-hooped all the way to the birdie-boiler!" said Banzai, stuffing Zazu into the vent and plugging it up.

"Oh, no, not the birdie-boiler!" shouted Zazu, terrified.

But, right on that moment, the vent shot him off in a puff of steam. The hyenas laughed hysterically, like they always did when they dealt with the majordomo.

"Hey, why don't you pick on someone of your own size?" asked Simba, now near the hyenas, trying to sound menacing.

"Like… you?" asked Shenzi, with an evil grin.

"Oops." said Simba, realising his mistake.

The hyenas started chasing the cubs again. Simba and Nala thought that they had escaped, but suddenly, steam came out of more vents, and the hyenas appared by the middle of the steam.

"BOO!" shouted Shenzi and Banzai.

Simba and Nala ran away, being chased by the hyenas, and climbed a big elephant skull, almost being caught by Shenzi, who was on the lead. Then, they slippered down the spine of another skeleton, and went shot away, landing on a big pile of bones.

The cubs began climbing a pile of bones, in an effort to escape, while the hyenas where coming closer. But suddenly, Nala shouted: "SIMBA!"

Simba turned around, and instantly stayed horrified by seeing Nala slipping back down the pile, while the hyenas were almost coming. Bravely, Simba ran back to save his friend and slashed Shenzi across her left cheek, leaving four red marks and distracting her while Nala escaped.

Shenzi snarled, enraged, but both surprise and pain made her to stop temporarially. Simba and Nala used that time to get some advance over their chasers, and, in an effort to escape, entered a cave, and tried to climb a rock wall using a skeleton of an elphant with some skin in it as basis. But the rotten skin broke, and Simba and Nala fell into the skeleton.

They were cornered, as the three hyenas were coming closer, and they were in a cave, with no chances of escaping.

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Meanwhile, Pumbaa, with Timon on his back, had crossed the Border River using the usual tree trunk as a bridge. Because Timon said that they wouldn't find anything going torwards north (he didn't want to go to his old home), Pumbaa had turned west, and ended up arriving to the Elephant Graveyard

"Cheer up, Pumbaa." said Timon, still relaxing on the suine's back. "Our dream home's around here somewhere."

"You know, Timon, I once came across a place that might be just what you're looking for." said Pumbaa.

He remembered a mysterious place where he went as a teenager, some years ago. After one of his typical arguments with Gwasi, Mbango said that he would have to leave the sounder for one month. For some time, Pumbaa even considered not to return to the sounder, but in the end, he did it, because Gwasi would think that he was afraid if he didn't return. But Pumbaa went to unfamiliar territory, and went into a jungle, looking quite like the Mighty Jungle that he had once seen from the edge of the waterfall on Border River. But it wasn't the same for sure, as it was in a completely different direction.

However, it was a paradise, and Pumbaa didn't waste any time in describing it to Timon. He said: "Spectacular waterfalls, set in a lush tropical oasis. A scrumptious array of bugs under each tree trunk fallen on the ground."

"Forget it, Pumbaa." said Timon, interrupting him.

He didn't believe that such a paradise could exist, and fairy tales wouldn't bring to him a paradise. So, he said to Pumbaa: "I'm realist, and I'm not gonna go chasing after some fantasy. I'm goin' beyond what I see.

"But if you always go beyond what you see, how can you know you're there?" asked Pumbaa, without understanding what was Timon's real objective.

He didn't even want to listen about the paradise that Pumbaa knew. However, Timon said: "I'll tell you how I know. It's here."

Pumbaa wasn't too convinced of that. All that he could see around were skeletons, mainly of elephants, crag on the ground, vents, and a lot of steam that covered the sky and didn't allow to see anything. However, Timon seemed very pleased with that place.

"This is a lovely place, Pumbaa." said Timon, jumping from Pumbaa's back. "Lovely. Rustic. Picturesque. Home sweet home, Pumbaa!"

Timon leaned against a chunk of the elephant skull, but, almost on the next instant, the chunk gave way and made Timon to collapse inside the skull. Pumbaa was a little bit worried, but fortunately Timon soon came out of the elephant skull.

"Well, sure it needs a little work." admitted Timon when he comes out from inside the skull, covered with dust and spider webs. "But it's got good bones! After all, it's an elephant graveyard. And who comes to an elephant graveyard?"

Pumbaa admitted that, if what Timon wanted was loneliness, the elephant graveyard would be perfect. Almost no one went there, with the exception of eventual elephants (after all, the bones had to come from somewhere). The main worry of Pumbaa was what they would eat and drink. However, they would have a bigger worry.

At that moment, a lion roar echoed. Timon and Pumbaa looked around, and seeing what was coming, they hid inside the skull at a , just as a huge lion appeared running on the scene, with a blue hornbill flying behind him, shouting: "Sire, the hyenas are after the children!"

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Meanwhile, the triplets walked towards Simba and Nala.

"Look boys!" said Shenzi sarcastically. "A king fit for a meal."

"Here kitty kitty kitty." taunted Banzai, entering the cave with bared teeth.

Simba stood protectively in front of Nala, erecting his fur, and trying to roar, but managing to produce only some nice medium yowls. Banzai and Ed stick their tongues out, almost drooling.

"Oo-hoo… that was it?" asked Shenzi mockingly. "Do it again. Come on!"

Simba roared, but this time it came a full-grown lion roar. Nala and the hyenas made stares of amazement, but, for the hyenas, the amazement was replaced by pain when a huge paw hit them

Mufasa had just arrived on the scene, while Zazu landed close to Simba and Nala. Mufasa gave one blow on Banzai, another one to Shenzi, and a third one to Ed, and he soon got the three hyenas pinned under his paws.

"Oh, please, please. Uncle, uncle." said Banzai.

"Ow, ow, ow." said Shenzi in pain.

"SHUT UP." said Mufasa, almost roaring.

"Oh, we're gonna shut up right now." said Banzai.

"Calm down, we're really sorry." said Shenzi, with a faked smile.

Mufasa looked at the hyenas with deep hatred, and said in a menacing voice: "If you ever come near my son again…"

If looks could kill, all the hyenas would be dead in an instant. But looks couldn't kill.

"Oh, this… this is your son?" asked Shenzi.

"Oh, your son?" asked Banzai.

"Did you know that?" asked Shenzi.

"No… me? I-I-I didn't know it. No. Did you?" asks Banzai

"No, of course not." answered Shenzi.

"Ed?" asked both of them.

Ed stupidly nodded "Yes."

Mufasa roared extremely loudly.

"Toodles." said Banzai.

All the hyenas ran away, scared.

On the following moment, Zazu lighted in front of Mufasa, giving him a "That'll show'em" nod, but then withered under Mufasa's angry glare.

Simba would have to face his father's anger now. He went to Mufasa, and said: "Dad, I…"

"You deliberately disobeyed me." said Mufasa in an angry voice.

"Dad, I'm sorry…" said Simba.

"Let's go home!" said Mufasa sternly.

Zazu followed his king flying, not feeling confident enough to sit on the lion's shoulder this time. He was almost as sad as the two cubs who followed him.

"I thought you were very brave." whispered Nala to Simba, while she and her friend followed the big lion.

But, during that time, no one had seen Scar, who had been watching all the events from a close rock. If Mufasa had concerned himself with looking above, he would have seen his brother, and, associating that with the fact that he knew very well about Scar's connections with the hyenas, he would understand everything.

But Mufasa only had eyes for his son who had disobeyed him. And so, Scar went away. Yet, there was another thought in the mind of the black-maned lion.

"Tonight, I will meet those hyenas, to tell them about my newest plan, and this one won't fail." thought Scar, while he left the Elephant Graveyard.

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Meanwhile, both Timon and Pumbaa had decided that was safe enough to leave the safety of the skull, because they couldn't see any predator around to eat them. Timon cleaned himself of the dust, and then Pumbaa asked: "Hey, Timon, is it just me, or I saw a big lion fighting three hyenas right there?"

Eventhough Timon tried to show himself as relaxed, he was feeling worried, because he, once again, had recognized the three hyenas that killed his father. But, when Timon recovered, he could hear Pumbaa saying: "Timon, I don't think this is the perfect paradise."

"Enough of that, Pumbaa!" said Timon almost sternly. "I don't think this is the perfect paradise. So, let's make some more search on this side of the river, and, if we don't get enough luck 'till tomorrow, we will go to the savannah again."

With those words, Timon climbed on Pumbaa's back, and Pumbaa walked away.

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Mufasa iwalking through the Pride Lands at late night. Zazu, Simba and Nala followed him, still deeply depressed. The majordomo gave a short look at the cubs, but Mufasa, almost as if he had seen it, shouted: "ZAZU!"

Zazu landed in front of him, and whispered weakly: "Yes, sire?"

"Take Nala and the others home." said Mufasa sternly. "I've got to teach my son a lesson."

Simba crouched lower in the grass, trying to hide. Zazu flies in the direction of the cubs, and said to Nala: "Come, Nala."

Then, he turned to the prince, and said: "Simba…" he placed his wings on the golden cub's shoulders, gave him a friendly pat, and added: "…good luck."

Nala went to Pride Rock, with Zazu flying in front of her. Simba kept looking at her, but then Mufasa called sternly, without looking at him: "SIMBA!"

Simba turned around and went to meet Mufasa, quite bravely, eventhough he felt quite scared. Suddenly, his paw fell in a depression on the ground. Simba looked down, and saw that the depression was his father's paw print. At that moment, he remembered you small and young he is compared to his father, realising his true position, and maybe also understanding that his father can do much more than just discipline Simba.

But, even so, Simba walked forward, and sat down at his father's side. For a few moments, Mufasa thought silently, not looking at his son. Finally, Mufasa looked at Simba, and said: "Simba, I'm very disappointed in you."

"I know." said Simba in a quiet and sad voice.

"You could have died." continued Mufasa. "You deliberately disobeyed me, and what's worse, you put Nala in danger."

"I was just trying to be brave, like you." said Simba, almost crying, and with his voice cracking.

"I'm only brave when I have to be." said Mufasa. "Simba… being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything." replied Simba.

"I was today…" said Mufasa.

"You were?" asked Simba, disbelieving.

"Yes." said Mufasa.

He then bended down close to Simba, and said: "I thought I might loose you."

"Oh, I guess even kings get scared, huh?" asked Simba, lightening slightly.

Mufasa gives him a "Yes, that's right." look.

"But do you know something?" asked Simba, whispering conspiratorially.

"What?" asked Mufasa, whispering back.

"I think those hyenas were even scareder." concluded Simba.

Mufasa laughs gently, and then said: "That's because nobody messes with your dad. Come here, you."

Mufasa bented down, and started giving Simba a noogie.

"Oh, no, no!" said Simba, trying to release himself.

Simba released himself from Mufasa, and then jumped to attack Mufasa. Mufasa ran away, laughing. Then, Simba jumped on Mufasa, and bit his ear, saying: "Gotcha!"

Mufasa laid down with Simba in his head, and Simba asked: "Dad? We're pals, right?"

"Right." said Mufasa, laughing gently.

"And we'll always be together, right?" asked Simba.

Mufasa lifted his head, making Simba to slip to his shoulder, and said: "Simba… Let me tell you something that my father told me… look at the starts… the great kings of the past look down on us from those stars…"

"Really?" asked Simba, awed.

He already knew that the stars where the spirits of the great kings of the past were on the stars, but he hadn't yet thought, at least too seriously, that they would actually be there watching him.

"Yes." said Mufasa. "So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you… and so will I."

"Wow…" said Simba, amazed. "Dad… tell me more about the stars and the great kings, please."

"Well…" said Mufasa thoughtfully. "My father Ahadi told me that the great kings are always watching us from above. More than that, I really don't know."

"Dad…" asked Simba slowly. "The Stars are as misterious as you say?"

/"Stars" song. Tune is rather happy, but also quite solemn. Mufasa and Simba are still looking at the stars. Simba looks at the stars with a big smile, and Mufasa as well./

First verse: Mufasa

_The stars may seem just sparkling dots_

_But together they give you strong light_

_And they're also souls of your ancestors_

_Who light your way in the dark night_

/Camera changes perspective, in a way that we see Mufasa and Simba, but we also see the stars that they are watching. Among them, it's the brightest star, Mohatu's spirit. Mufasa and Simba look to that one.7

_They are watching you from above_

_Just like you watch them from below_

_But stars aren't the important part_

_What really counts is what's in your soul_

/Mufasa seems sad for a moment, like if he's thinking if he really has enough morality to speak those words, but he cheers up slightly when Simba bites his ear and pulls./

Chorus: Mufasa

_Stars are a bright source of relief_

_Honoured ancestors watch us from above_

_But all we can do is keep the belief_

_And get by life without receive a shove_

/Simba jumps in an attempt to reach the stars, but he falls on the ground. He comes close to Mufasa, slightly annoyed./

_But the main thing is what's in our heart_

_Because help from the stars may not last_

_To have our own wisdom is the main part_

_And the most important is learn from the past_

/Zoom in Mufasa's eyes. Then it switches to a memory of Mufasa: he as a cub, interrupting Taka's happy moment with Ahadi before Taka getting the scar. Ahadi is annoyed, but Taka seems happy. We still hear adult Mufasa's voice./

Second verse: Mufasa

_With the stars come happy, but also sad things_

_That's one of the most hard rules of life_

/Mufasa is just happy with his triumph over Taka, then Taka attacks him. After that, a direct switch to Mufasa running to Taka with the bleeding scar./

_But we can never forget what happened before_

_Or we'll be less ready for what the future brings_

/Cub Mufasa is deeply sad after Taka having given him the smack. Then, changes to present time, with adult Mufasa and cub Simba./

_Watching the stars may be an important help_

_Because they can be a source of memories_

/Simba seems worried with Mufasa, but Mufasa makes a gesture assuring him that it's all right. Simba doesn't seem too convinced, but he says nothing./

_But we must face the future with a loud yelp_

_Yet trying to keep in mind our ocassional reveries_

/Simba jumps back on Mufasa's head, and Mufasa smiles. Zoom-out, we see several more stars, but we still see Mufasa and Simba./

Chorus: Mufasa and Simba

_Stars are a bright source of relief_

_Honoured ancestors watch us from above_

_But all we can do is keep the belief_

_And get by life without receive a shove_

/Camera rolls around, like if it's circling Mufasa and Simba, yet still focuses on them./

_But the main thing is what's in our heart_

_Because help from the stars may not last _

_To have our own wisdom is the main part_

_And the most important is learn from the past_

/Simba jumps from Mufasa's head. Mufasa gets up, and they begin walking. Song finishes./

"So… dad…" asked Simba again in a fearful voice. "Will mom punish me?"

"I will try to make that it doesn't happen." said Mufasa solemnly. "I think that you already learnt a big lesson. However, it's not out of the possibilities!"

"Oh…" said Simba in a sad, yet resigned voice.

"But don't worry about that for now." said Mufasa, smiling. "Come on, give a hug to your dad."

Simba hugged Mufasa's paw, and then Mufasa said: "I'll carry you. You're probably tired."

"I'm not tired, dad…" said Simba sleepily.

And, right after he finished, he allowed a big yawn to come out of his mouth. Mufasa, smiled, patted affectionately Simba's head, and then grabbed him by the scruff, walking towards Pride Rock.

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_What did you think? Review, please!_


	26. Chapter 25: Be prepared

_Well, here it is a new chapter. Most of it is original, but in the end, there are some scenes from the movie. However, I tried to add some originality even there... you will tell me if I managed to._

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**Chapter 25 – Be prepared**

Sarabi stood under Pride Rock, waiting for Mufasa and Simba. She was deeply worried. Some time ago, Nala and Zazu had arrived, and the majordomo shared the terrible new with her: Simba and Nala had been on the Elephant Graveyard!

Now, the little female cub was receiving a lecture from Sarafina and Moyo, yet, according to what Sarabi understood, some creatures on Pride Rock had been jealous of her and Simba. Mainly, Nala's younger brother Mheetu, who said that he wanted to have been on the Elephant Graveyard as well. But, after seeing how Nala was scared when she returned, even the tag-along little brother reconsidered his opinion.

Sarabi, however, was still worried, or, at least, fearful. According to Zazu, Simba also had returned from the Elephant Graveyard, thanks to Mufasa's miraculous intervention, but neither her mate nor son had returned to Pride Rock. They were late… and today, when she had such and important thing to tell her mate! Yet she didn't know how he would react. But now it was done.

"What will he tell?" asked Sarabi to herself, trying to keep her calm.

She remembered of Zazu telling her that the king had decided to give a lecture to the prince, but… would it really last so long?

Fortunately, after some more time of waiting, she saw Mufasa… coming to her! But… where was Simba? Without waiting to know, Sarabi just ran to the big lion, and, when she came closer, she noticed with relief that he was carrying Simba in his mouth.

Mufasa placed Simba on the ground as gently as he could (which was enough to keep Simba sleeping), and, before Sarabi managed to speak, Mufasa said in a decisive voice: "Don't worry. It's allright. Simba fell asleep during our way back."

Sarabi deeply sighed of relief, and then, she said: "Wait here. I'll put him on Pride Rock, and then we will have a talk. I have a very important thing to tell you."

"Oh… what is it?" asked Mufasa curiously.

"It's a surprise." said Sarabi with an enigmatic smile.

Mufasa began getting nervous, but he would have to wait some more time. Sarabi picked the sleeping Simba by the scruff, and went to Pride Rock. She would only have to leave Simba with some of the lionesses… with her sister for sure… no, with her mother.

Sarabi went to her mother, placed Simba on the ground, and whispered: "Mother… mother… could you wake up, please?"

"What is it?" asked Penda, waking up slowly.

"Mom…" asked Sarabi slowly. "Could you take care of Simba for some time, please?"

"Sure, my dear." said Penda, smiling. "But why?"

"I have a surprise to Mufasa." said Sarabi enigmatically. "I will have a talk with him tonight."

"Oh… I see…" said the older lioness, understanding what happened.

It explained the strange behaviour of her daughter in the previous days. She had been a little bit sick, with minor stomachaches, and occasional vomits. Probably that was the surprise that she had for Mufasa.

"Good luck, my dear." said Penda, before lying down again.

Sarabi left the cave at full speed, but not without waking up someone.

Mega got up very slowly, careful for not to wake neither Jani nor Tojo. Or even the birds, which seemed to have developed a special quality to notice most of the unusual things on the cave, and report them to the blue-eyed cub. Mufasa had even considered to use the birds as extra-majordomos, but they didn't obey to anyone except Simba and Tojo.

Like Penda, Mega had associated the "illness" of the queen to the surprise that she had to Mufasa, however, the lion had his doubts about that.

"I'm almost sure that it will be a surprise." thought Mega, coming out of the cave, and looking to the running Sarabi. "However, I have my doubts that Mufasa will be happy with it."

And, with those thoughts, Mega started stalking Sarabi.

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"Finally you're here!" said Mufasa relieved, when he saw his mate coming.

Sarabi nuzzled him, and then they started walking through the savannah, but in silence. Finally, Mufasa asked: "What's the surprise that you have for me?"

Sarabi turned to him with the same enigmatic smile, that wasn't exactly tranquilizing Mufasa. She turned to him, and, looking at him with loving eyes, leapt, pinned him on his back in a playful way, and whispered lovingly: "I'm pregnant."

For some time, Mufasa was too startled to know what to say… that had come to him completely by surprise… no… not exactly… he had a lot of signals to warn him from that, mainly Sarabi's "illdisposition" during the recent days. He had suggested her to go to Rafiki, but she had refused, insisting that she was fine. And now, she was coming to him with that one?

But, even so… that was great…

"No!" shouted a voice in Mufasa's mind. "That's terrible!"

And then… Mufasa remembered about his father's reaction… when he told him that Sarabi was pregnant with Simba… about the advice that his father gave him… about what happened right on that day…

"What's the matter?" asked Sarabi, confused. "Aren't you happy?"

"Yes!" said Mufasa, allowing his happy side to take care of him. "I'm happy!"

Mufasa pushed Sarabi off him, and nuzzled her. Sarabi nuzzled him back, and then, he said: "It will be good to have another cub… Simba sometimes complains of not having a little brother or sister… let's hope it is a sister, because it is what he wants the most."

"I have the feeling that it's a sister for Simba." said Sarabi, smiling. "But don't worry. We'll just have to wait three to four months to know it."

With those words, Mufasa and Sarabi walked off, enjoying the night for a little bit. Meanwhile, a figure hidden in the high grass sighed with relief as low as he could.

"Mufasa's reaction was less bad than I thought." whispered Mega to himself, as he watched the royal couple disappearing. "Ahadi's reaction was way worst."

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"Father!" said Mufasa, going to Ahadi.

"Yes, Mufasa?" asked the former king.

He was not king anymore ever since Uru had died. Because Uru had been the royal descendant, if she died before Ahadi, Mufasa would be the next to rule, if he was old enough. Because Mufasa was, Ahadi was no longer king – and in a way, he wished that, because he felt that maybe he hadn't been a good king.

That night, he had been making star-watching, looking at Uru's star consistently, almost as if looking at her would make Uru to come down to the earth… or him to go to the stars… he had never been the same since his mate's death… he barely seemed to care about rulling… and had began hating Scar so much, that, from each time he saw his younger son, he barely repressed his will of killing him.

"I have… something to tell you…" said Mufasa, looking at his father. "Sarabi… is pregnant… I will have a son… and you will have a grandson…"

Ahadi got up. Finally, after months of sadness, there was a light of joy at the bottom of the tunnel. He would be a grandfather! Finally… he was free to pass his duty to Mufasa… at least when Mufasa's cub would be born… and then… he could finally have a calm retirement. He opened his mouth to say: "Congratulations, Mufasa!" but, before he spoke, some hard memories came to his mind.

"Sarabi can't have the cub!" thought Ahadi. "Remember what your father told you! His mother died during his birth, and he almost died as well. You nearly died during your birth, alongside mother! Tarki died during his birth, and mother with him. Hamu died during his birth, and Kimya with him! And with Taka… that… well, what cares is that if not for Rafiki, Uru would have died with him..."

Ahadi shook his mane, trying to put the hard memories away, raised his head, and said to Mufasa sternly: "Sarabi can't have the cub. Or at least, she can't have more cubs after that one."

"Why?" asked Mufasa, confused.

He was hoping that Ahadi would be happy with the idea of being a grandfather. And now… he came to tell him that? That Sarabi couldn't have the cub?

"But… how?" asked Mufasa, in a confused voice. "And… what can I do? Sarabi is already pregnant, there's nothing that I can do for she not to have the cub!"

"Do something!" growled the king. "I don't care what, but do something for she not to have the cub. Maybe find some way of making Sarabi to lose that cub. I don't know how, use whatever means are necessary, but she CAN'T have that cub!"

Mufasa was deffinetly getting angry at his father's talking. The younger lion couldn't believe it… why the idea of having a grandson would disturb him that much? But, always that he tried to speak about that, his father ended up arguing with him

"I won't do it!" growled Mufasa, baring his teeth. "I won't make Sarabi to lose her cub, because that would mean hurting her a lot, or maybe taking some medicine from Rafiki… but that would be killing Sarabi's cub! My own son or daughter! And I won't do that!"

And, with those words, Mufasa turned back, and went away.

"Don't turn your back on me, Mufasa!" roared Ahadi, trying to run to face him.

But Mufasa didn't return. He just went to the cave, while Ahadi, still disturbed by his son's talking, went away, looking for an open plain to lie down, and continue star watching… and maybe ask for some advice…

Meanwhile, one lion had listened everything… it was Mega.

"Why?" thought Mega, looking at the running Ahadi. "Mufasa will be happy of being a father, just like you were happy when Mufasa was born. What's wrong with happiness? Maybe… I should just ask for an advice to Rafiki. He knows it all."

And so, Mega left Pride Rock, and ran to the Tree of Life.

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Ahadi lied down on an open plain, looking at the stars again. And, like he did once… years ago… he tried to look for his father's star… for his mother's star… for Kimya's star… but, like he did when he was three years old, it failed.

"Oh… why?" shouted Ahadi to the sky. "Why do you had to leave me for good? Why everybody left me? I just want an advice! Is that ask for too much to you?"

He remembered that, once, during his cubhood, his mother had told him that, in some exceptional cases, ghosts of some dead lions appeared in the sky, and gave important advices to the living ones.

But Ahadi had never received them, and he was really desperate for some, at least in those areas. However, he forgot the stars when he heard some laughter. Very unfriendly laughter.

The lion looked around, and noticed three hyenas looking at him. They were Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. The three hyenas that his second son and took in and cared for. Ahadi got up, and roared.

"Pff.!" said Shenzi disdainfully. "Do you think that you scare us with that?"

"Out of here!" growled Ahadi, angry. "Before I decide to kill you!"

"No way, Ahadi." said Banzai, with an angry snarl. "We will be the ones to kill you!"

For the first moments, Ahadi was too amazed to react at the sentence of the hyena. They would kill him? Ahadi couldn't help but to burst in laughter.

"You shouldn't laugh so much, Ahadi!" said Shenzi. "We will avenge our parents tonight!"

"And what makes you think that I can't defeat three hyenas?" inquired Ahadi, almost too casually.

"And what makes you think that we're just three hyenas?" asked Shenzi in a very simmilar voice.

With those words, Shenzi made a signal with her tail, and more than a hundred hyenas came out of the high grass, looking at Ahadi with a very angry stare. The king's expression changed from mocking to terrified. There was nothing he could do, because the scavengers were surrounding him, and were too much to be fought.

And then, he listened Shenzi's words. The hatred in the hyena's voice made Ahadi's heart to freeze.

"Kill him."

All the hyenas ran to the king at the same time.

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Mufasa lied down under Pride Rock, without knowing what to do. His father had told him that Sarabi simply couldn't have the cub, and to use any necessary mean to stop her. But… how much he was actually ready to obey his father? And… why such a dramatic reaction at something as usual as the birth of a cub? Not a cub… his own grandson!

"Oh… life is really complicated." thought Mufasa bitterly.

But then, he heard one roar. It was his father's roar, but that wasn't what worried him. What worried him was that the roar was from pain… and a call for help…

"Father!" shouted Mufasa, getting up and starting to run to help him.

However, he was more worried with another thing: if the threat was so big that not even the king could stand it, would be enough if only Mufasa went to help him?

"I have to call the pride!" thought Mufasa. "Then I can go for help."

So, Mufasa ran to Pride Rock, and, entering the cave, roared to wake up the pride. All the pride woke up, rather sleepily, while Mufasa shivered in impatience, and also in fear of what could he happening.

"Oh… what's the matter, Mufasa?" asked Safura, getting up.

"My father is in danger!" said Mufasa, terrified. "We have to help him! Is all the pride here?"

Mufasa scanned the pride with his eyes… and noticed that almost all the pride was there. Only Mega, Jani, and Mimea were missing.

"Follow me!" shouted Mufasa.

And with those words, he turned around and left the cave, with the pride following him.

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Ahadi was completely powerless to do anything to protect himself. He tried to deliver blows, but the hyenas were biting his paws… he was covered in hyenas everywhere, and almost exsanguinated… what could he do?

"Nothing." thought Ahadi. "There's nothing I can do. Those hyenas killed me, because I killed their parents… Taka's hyenas… I wonder if it was Taka who told them to kill me…"

In mind, he kept calling his second son by his real name, without caring for the scar. Maybe… he had loved him… but that didn't care anymore…

"If it was really Taka who told them to kill me…" kept Ahadi in mind. "…I don't think that I have the right to hate him as well… I showed nothing but hatred to him… he paid me with even more hatred… that's fair. Now it's over. I would like to get Taka's forgiveness before I died, but…"

But then, a roar sounded. The hyenas looked backwards, and fled, terrified. Ahadi fell heavily on the ground, without understand at the beginning what had scared the hyenas, but soon he understood.

Mufasa came in front of him, and asked: "Father… father… are you alright?"

"Mufasa…" said Ahadi weakly. "I… will die soon… but first… promise this to me… promise that you'll be nice to your brother, and that you'll never banish him or offend him… please…"

"Father?" asked Mufasa. "What does that mean?"

"Promise!" shouted Ahadi, making some more blood flowing of his wounds, but that was what Mufasa needed.

"I promise…" said Mufasa.

"And now…" kept Ahadi. "Call Taka here… my time is coming… but I want to talk with him…"

"Scar!" roared Mufasa. "Come here, right now!"

Scar came, and then, he asked: "What is it, Mufasa?"

"I…" said Ahadi weakly. "…want to speak… with you…"

Scar came closer, and asked: "What is it, father?"

"Son…" whispered Ahadi. "I will die soon… and that's good… because it seems I couldn't do too much of good things… but… before I die… I want your forgiveness… please… I beg you…"

Scar was rather shocked with that. His father had neglected him, rejected him, tried to kill him, and now, he asked for forgiveness? But… for some reason… probably only because of his mother's memory… Scar decided to forgive him…

"I forgive you… father…" said Scar very slowly.

"Thanks…" said Ahadi. "And please… try to…"

However, nobody actually knew more, because, on that moment, Ahadi coughed some blood, and then, his body fell heavily on the ground… to never to get up again.

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On the very same day, one more lioness had been a victim of the attack of the hyenas. That lioness was Mimea. What she was doing alone was a mistery, and only she knew the answer, but what it's sure is that, on her way, Mimea found the hyenas, and they killed her, for she not to know about the place where they would hide.

Even at the present, Mega, now making his way towards Pride Rock, was haunted by his guilt.

"It's my entire fault!" said Mega to himself, barely speaking silently. "If I was there to protect her, she wouldn't have died! And in the end, Rafiki didn't give me any advice!"

But then, Mega had to keep himself silenced, because he would enter Pride Rock, and it would be better if he didn't wake up anyone. He entered the cave… Sarabi and Mufasa were still absent, according to what he noticed… Uzuri was sleeping with Kilia and Kisasian… Kisasian? If Kisasian was there… Scar and Zira were also absent!

"But where?" asked Mega to himself. "Oh… it doesn't matter. They are probably having a nice night, like Mufasa and Sarabi."

And, shaking away the strange thoughts, Mega went to lie down at his daughter and grandson's side, and fell asleep.

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But, on the Elephant Graveyard, three hyenas weren't sleeping at all. Banzai was still complaining about their meeting with Mufasa, that ended up with him, normally the most unlucky of the trio, with a scratched rear. The wounds were rather disturbing.

"Man, that lousy Mufasa!" said Banzai annoyedly. "I won't be able to sit for a week!"

But someone was thinking about it as funny. Ed laughed insanely, like he usually did.

Banzai said, in an angry voice: "It's not funny, Ed."

But Ed only laughed even louder.

"HEY, SHUT UP!" shouted Banzai, but Ed simply couldn't stop laughing, and almost rolled on the ground after laughing so much.

Banzai's patience reached it's limit. He tackled Ed, and they started fighting, rolling on the ground. Shenzi, who had been quite far, on a ledge, turned to them, and shouted, angry: "Will you knock if off?"

Banzai stopped fighting, but Ed continued, without realizing that he was biting his own leg.

"Well, he started it!" said Banzai.

Ed finally stopped biting his leg.

"Look at you, guys." said Shenzi, walking towards her brothers. "No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain."

"Man, I hate dangling." said Banzai, with drool dangling from his mouth.

"You know, if it weren't for those lions, we'd be runnin' the joint." said Shenzi, sitting down.

"Man, I hate lions." said Banzai, still angry.

"So pushy." said Shenzi.

"And hairy." added Banzai.

"And stinky." said Shenzi.

"And man, are they…" began Banzai, while Shenzi walked to the other side of him.

"UUUGGLY!" said Banzai and Shenzi together.

After that, both the hyenas burst in laughter.

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Meanwhile, Timon, riding Pumbaa, was close of that place, coming close to a pool of boiling water. The duo was keeping their search for their new home. Pumbaa suggested that they should stop for that day, but Timon insisted that they wouldn't sleep 'till they found their dream home, and, noticing that the meerkat seemed more and more nervous, only with a tenuous grip of reality, the warthog agreed in keeping their search, in an attemp to preserve Timon's sanity.

On that time, Pumbaa began jumping by a bridge of three stones that seemed to serve to cross the lake. Timon, in his deeply nervous state, said endlessly: "Beyond what'cha see. Beyond what'cha see."

"Uh, Timon?" asked Pumbaa, stopping for a while, in another attemp to convince his acquaitance. "Would this be a bad time to bring up that little place I told you about?"

"Hey! This is home sweet home, baby!" said Timon, jumping of Pumbaa's back, and throwing himself down on a steam vent. "Home sweet home. Home…"

But Timon was forced to shut up, or at least to chance his speech, because, on that time, the steam erupted, and Timon got off the vent, shouting from pain.

But he recovered, and said, looking at the vent: "Steam! Ha ha! Steam is good. Steam is-is-is water. Whoo! Gotta have water. You know, for the dream home. Steam home, dream home! Steam, steam, steam.

Timon got a hold of himself, before saying: "I'm perfectly happy r-r-right here. It's remote, private, no unexpected visitors…"

"Uh… Timon." said Pumbaa, after looking to another place.

"We will be all right in here!" said Timon in a joyful way.

"Uh… Timon." repeated Pumbaa.

"It's perfect!" concluded Timon happily.

"Timon!" insisted Pumbaa, without speaking louder, but adding some more insistance.

"What?" asked Timon, annoyed for having been interrupted.

"I'm not sure if that's the perfect place. I found unexpected visitors."

"What do you mean?" asked Timon, paying more attention to the warthog.

"Look!" said Pumbaa, pointing with his hoof.

The meerkat looked on the direction where Pumbaa pointed, and he saw Shenzi and Banzai bursting in laughter. Ed was close to them.

The two animals backed off very slowly, crossing the pool of hot water again, and hiding themselves behind a boulder.

"I think we should get out of here." said Pumbaa to Timon.

"I have a better idea." said Timon. "We should get out of here."

And then, Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, and they sneaked away.

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Shenzi and Banzai were still bursting in laughter, but they stopped when they heard Scar's voice saying: "Oh, surely we lions are not all that bad."

"I would say the same." said one voice behind Scar. It was Zira.

Banzai got quite surprised, but then he said: "Oh, Scar, Zira, it's just you two."

"We were afraid that was someone important." said Shenzi.

"You two know, like Mufasa!" said Banzai.

"I see…" said Scar.

"Now that's power." said Banzai.

"Tell me about it." said Shenzi. "I just hear that name and I shudder."

"Mufasa." said Banzai.

"Oooh." said Shenzi, shivering. "Do it again!"

"Mufasa!"

Banzai said Mufasa's name some more times, Shenzi shivered of each time Banzai said Mufasa's name, and Ed began laughing, rolling on the ground.

"Oh, it tingles me." said Shenzi.

"I'm surrounded by idiots." said Scar.

"Not you two, Scar and Zira." said Banzai. "You're two are part of us, I mean, you are our pals."

"Charmed." answered Scar and Zira at the same time.

"Oh, I like them." said Shenzi. "They may not be king and queen, but they're still so proper…"

"Yeah, did you two bring us anything to eat?" asked Banzai.

Zira, extended her paw, showing a zebra haunch. The three hyenas began drooling in hunger, and Scar said: "I don't think you really deserve it. We practically gift-wrapped those cubs for them. And you couldn't even dispose of them."

Zira dropped the zebra haunch, the hyenas started eating it, but shortly after Shenzi said with her mouth full: "Well you know… it's not exactly like if they were alone, you know that?"

"Yes, what were we supposed to do?" asked Banzai with his mouth full.

He gulped, and concluded: "Kill Mufasa?"

"Precisely." said Scar.

The hyenas looked at him, confused.

/"Be Prepared" song. Pretty much like the one seen in the movie, with the difference that is sang by Scar and Zira. Scar and Zira leap from the ledge were they are to the ground. The hyenas run away. They begin walking, through sheets of flame./

Scar: _I know that your powers of retention_

_Are as wet as a warthog's backside…_

/They come near Ed, who is still chewing the bone./

Zira: _But thick as you are, pay attention_

/On "pay attention" she swats the bone away, and Ed comes to abrupt attention. Scar walks around Ed./

Scar: _My words are a matter of pride_

/Scar waves his paw in front of Ed's face, and sings./

_It's clear from your vacant expressions_

_The lights are not all on upstairs_

/Scar takes his paw from Ed's face./

Zira: _But we're talking kings and successions_

/Banzai and Shenzi are behind them, laughing. Scar turns at leaps at them, throwing them to a pair of geysers./

Scar: _Even you can't be caught unawares._

/The geysers erupt, throwing Banzai and Shenzi into the air, and Scar struts theatrically along a ledge./

Scar: _So prepare for the chance of a lifetime_

Zira: _Be prepared for sensational news_

Scar: _A shiny new era_

_Is tiptoeing nearer_

/Scar tiptoes shortly, and jumps away. Shenzi asks: "And where do we feature?" but Zira grabs Shenzi's cheek, and says: "Just listen to teacher." Scar keeps singing, while Shenzi rubs her bruised red cheek./

_I know it sounds sordid_

_But you'll be rewarded_

_When at last I am given my dues_

/Scar and Zira leap up beside Ed, who is chewing the bone. Scar kicks Ed of the ledge./

Zira: _And injustice deliciously squared_

Zira and Scar: _Be prepared!_

/"Yeah, be prepared." says Banzai, while he, Shenzi and Ed come out from a pile of bones. "We'll be prepared! Huh, for what?"

"For the death of the king!" answers Scar.

"Why, is he sick?" asks Banzai.

"No, fool, we're going to kill him!" says Zira, grabbing him by the neck.

"And Simba too." says Scar.

Zira releases Banzai, and Shenzi says: "Great idea! Who needs a king?" Shenzi and Ed dance around Banzai, who sings: "No king, no king, la-la-la-la-laa-laa!

"Idiots!" shouts Zira. "There will be a king!"

"Hey, but you said…" started Banzai.

"I WILL BE KING!" said Scar. "Stick with me…"

"And you'll never go hungry again!" completed Zira.

"Yeah, all right!" said Shenzi and Banzai. "Long live the king! Long live the queen!"/

/Camera reveals much more hyenas who are hiding in the shadows, who shout: "Long live the king! Long live the queen!" Then, camera changes to the hyenas goose-stepping across the cave's floor. The hyenas sing./

_It's great that we'll soon be connected_

_With a king who will be all time adored_

/Camera switches to Scar and Zira./

Zira: _Of course, quid pro-quo, you're expected_

Scar: _To take certain duties on board_

/They both motion a slice across their necks./

Zira: _The future is littered with prizes_

Scar: _And though I'm the main addressee._

Zira: _The point that we must emphasize is…_

/Scar and Zira jump off their rock throne, to single out one helpless hyena./

Scar and Zira: _You won't get a sniff without me._

/The parenthetical parts are the hyenas' counterpoint singing/

Scar: _So prepare for the coup of the century (Ooooh)_

Zira: _Be prepared for the murkiest scam (Ooohh… La! La! La!)_

Scar: _Meticulous planning (We'll have food.)_

Zira: _Tenacity spamming (Lots of food)_

Scar: _Decades of denial (We repeat)_

_It's simply why I'll be (Endless meat)_

_The king undisputed (Aaaaaaah…)_

Scar and Zira: _Respected, saluted (Aaaaaaah…)_

Scar: _And seen for the wonder I am (Aaaaaaah…)_

_Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared (Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo)_

Scar and Zira: _Be prepared!_

All (Even Ed): _Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared_

_Be prepared!_

/Scar, Zira, and the hyenas are laughing evily. Song finishes as the screen cuts to black./

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_Well, what did you think? Did the song "Be prepared" work out fine sung by both Scar and Zira? I tried to add some originality on that scene, for not to be an exact rip-off from the movie... what did you think? Review, please!_


	27. Chapter 26: The stampede

_Well, here it comes a new chapter. It has many of the movie in it, but it also has some original parts. I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for the eventually bad song... but it just came to my mind, and I hope it is acceptable. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 26 – The stampede**

On the next morning, Simba woke up later than usual, when his mother got up. They looked around, and noticed that Mufasa wasn't there. He had gone to his daily patrol, like usually, and had left without waking up Simba and Sarabi. Normally, they woke up when Mufasa got up, but this time, because they were both extremely tired, they didn't wake up.

"Good morning, mom." yawned Simba.

"Good morning, son." said Sarabi in the same sleepy voice. "Well… come here."

Before Simba managed to escape, Sarabi grabbed him with her paws, and began bathing him, like she normally did at the morning.

"Mom!" said Simba, annoyed.

"Simba!" called Scar. "Come here, please."

When his mother stopped bathing him, Simba climbed out of her paws, and went to his uncle Scar, and asked happily: "What is it, Uncle Scar?"

"Come with me." said Scar slowly. "Your father has something to give to you."

"Really?" asked Simba excitedly.

"Yes." said Scar.

Simba went to his mother, and nuzzled her, saying: "Goodbye, mom. See you later."

Sarabi watched Scar with mistrust, as her former beloved went away with Simba, but she shouldn't do anything to spoil the surprise that Mufasa had for him… whatever it was the surprise… Speaking about surprise… she also had something to tell to Simba… that he would have a little brother or sister… but it seemed that would have to wait. Nala and Mheetu had tried to go with Simba, but Scar said that he and Simba had something to do alone.

"What can it be?" asked Sarabi in mind. "As far as I remember, Mufasa didn't tell me of that surprise…"

Probably it was just because he feared that Sarabi would tell to Simba. Well, she could keep a secret… most of the times… maybe her mate had just decided to be careful. And there wasn't time to wondering about such a stuff. She had her duties, and the first one was to lead the hunting pack. Sometimes, Mufasa lead it with her, but this time he wasn't there, so she would go alone, after making sure that all the cubs would be safe, with the lions and some of the lionesses taking care of them.

Leo complained a little bit about that, like usually, but all the pride knew that, deep inside, he loved cubs. And so, the hunting pack left the cave, with Sarabi leading them.

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Some time later, Simba and Scar were walking through the bottom of a big gorge. They arrived near a rock, underneath a small tree. Ironically, it was the same gorge, and quite close to the same tree, where Uru had died, almost two years before that day. That caused some nostalgy to Scar, and he almost began crying. But that would have to be ignored if he wanted to put the plan in motion. And in a way… in the last way… Simba and Mufasa would be together with their mother and grandmother.

Simba climbed to the rock, and Scar said: "Now you wait here. Your father has a marvelous surprise for you."

Simba asked excitedly: "Oooh. What is it?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." said Scar.

Simba was already waiting for that answer, but he wouldn't give up easily, so, he added: "If you tell me, I'll still act surprised!"

"You are such a naughty boy!" said Scar, laughing.

Now the only option that Simba had left was begging for his uncle to tell him. So, he used it: "Come on, Uncle Scar!"

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no." said Scar. "This is just for you and your father. You know… a sort of… father-son… thing…"

Simba became resentful of Scar's dismissive attitude, but soon shruged it off, and Scar used that moment to say: "Well, I'd better go get him!"

"I'll go with you!" said Simba, jumping behind him.

"No!" said Scar in a loud and snapping tone. Simba became surprised.

Then, his uncle regained composure, laughed a little, and said, making Simba to step back to the top of the rock: "No. Just stay on this rock. You wouldn't want to end up in another mess like you did with the hyenas…"

"You know about that?" asked Simba, a little bit shocked.

"Simba, the whole pride knows about that." said Scar.

"Really?" asked Simba, embarrassed.

"Oh, yes." said Scar. "Lucky Daddy was there to save you, eh?"

Scar placed his paw on Simba's shoulder, and whispered: "Oh… and just between us, you might want to work on that little roar of yours. Hmm?"

"Oh, alright." said Simba

Scar started to move away, but Simba still made a last question: "Hey, Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?"

Scar turned back on his shoulder, and says: "Simba, it's to die for."

"Literally." added the black-maned lion in mind. "Sorry, boy, you're innocent, but you must die."

Then, Scar moved away, hoping for Zira and the hyenas to put the second part of the plan in motion.

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On a plain very close to the gorge, was a very large herd of wildebeest, and all the animals were eating grass. But they, alongside with the hyenas and Zira, were necessary for the second part of the plan to get rid of Mufasa and Simba. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were hidden below a rock arch, waiting for the right moment to attack, but hunger was betraying them. Banzai's stomach gurgled.

"Silence!" said Shenzi.

"I can't help it." said Banzai. "I'm so hungry…"

He jumped up, and said with a smile: "I gotta have a wildebeest!"

"Stay put!" said Shenzi sternly.

"Well, can't I just pick off one of the sick ones?" begged Banzai.

"NO!" said Shenzi, even more sternly. "We have to wait for Zira's signal!"

Then, Zira mounted a rock in view of the hyenas. That was all they needed.

"There she is!" whispered Shenzi. "Let's go…"

The three hyenas advanced.

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Meanwhile, on the same rock, where Scar had left Simba, he was sick of waiting, and Scar's words about his little roar were stuck in his head. He tried to ignore them, but it was becoming harder than he first thought.

"Little roar…" said Simba. "Puh!"

He lied down, making more attempts to forget the words, but on that moment, a chameleon passed close to Simba. Simba noticed him, and tried to growl at him, but the chameleon ignored him, and walked away. Simba jumped to the reptile, growled again at him, but the same thing happened. Then, Simba ran to the chameleon, inhaled deeply, and growled again, lowder than on the first two attempts. The chameleon ran away, scared. This third growl echoed around the canyon.

Simba smiled when he heard the echo of his own cubbish growl, but that sound was soon eclipsed by a low rumble, that the young cub couldn't identify. Simba looked down and saw pebbles jumping. He never knew about anything that could make pebbles jumping, but he noticed what it was when he saw something terrible approaching. A huge herd of wildebeest was entering the gorge, and it was going to run him over!

The little cub made a terrified expression, and ran away, hoping that help would soon come to him, and ignoring that the three hyenas who had tried to kill him and Nala on the previous day were chasing the herd.

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Not too far from there, Mufasa was patrolling the area, with Zazu riding on his shoulder. Nothing unusual had been seen this far, but then, Zazu noticed the dust in the air, which is the signal of the herds' movement.

"Look, sire!" said Zazu. "The herd is on the move!"

Mufasa looked to where Zazu pointed, without understanding the reason of the movement of the herd, but, at that moment, Scar came, out of breath.

"Perfect." thought Mufasa. "Now I can really ask him about yesterday on the Elephant Graveyard."

But his attitude completely changed when he heard the words of his younger brother.

"Mufasa, quick!" said Scar, with urgency in his voice. "Stampede! In the gorge! Simba is down there!"

"Simba?" asked Mufasa, terrified.

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The herd was almost catching Simba, while he tried to run desperately.

"Help me!" shouted the cub in mind, not wasting breath needed to run further. "Someone, something, help me!"

But then, the stampede caught him. But, some time later, he noticed a dead tree, and climbed it up at full speed, knowing that was his last chance to escape. Meanwhile, Mufasa and Scar ran at full speed to the canyon.

Zazu was flying ahead, down into the canyon, trying to find Simba in the middle of all those wildebeests and of the dust, that choked nearly everyone. Then, he spotted the young prince on the dead tree, and went to meet him.

"Zazu, help me!" shouted Simba, clinging precariously to the tree.

"Your father is on the way!" shouted Zazu, before flying away. "Hold on!"

"Hurry!" shouted Simba.

Mufasa and Scar were already on the lower ledges of the gorge. Zazu went to meet them, and pointed to where Simba was, shouting: "There, there, on that tree!"

"Hold on, Simba!" shouted Mufasa, terrified.

But a wildebeest rammed the tree were the little cub was, nearly breaking it. Simba screamed in panic: "DAD!"

Without thinking about the risk, and having as only priority to save his son's life, Mufasa ran into the herd, joining the stampede, while the prince clinged more precariously by the second.

"Oh, Scar, this is awful!" shouted Zazu, terrified. "What will we do? What will we do? Hah ... I'll go back for help, that's what I'll do, I'll go back for he--oomph!"

"Shut up!" shouted Scar in mind, backhanding Zazu out into a rock wall, knocking him out.

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Meanwhile, Mufasa was trying to catch Simba. He ran with the herd, reaching Simba's tree, but he slightly passed it. The big lion wasn't managing to explain how, but some voice was whispering him. "Turn left!" or "Turn right!" but Mufasa was trying to follow it's advices. Then, he whiped around the front of some wildebeest, and ran back to the tree. But a wildebeest ran in his direction, and Mufasa fell. The king, still dizzy, looked at the tree, terrifieed. in the exact time when a wildebeest hit the tree and sent Simba flying through the air. The young cub screamed in terror.

Fortunately, Mufasa managed to get up on time to catch Simba. Mufasa tried to run with Simba to outside from the stampede. But, before Mufasa managed to do it, he collided with another wildebeest, and thrown Simba. The cub, still terrified, managed to avoid the wildebeest that were coming at him, but he wouldn't do it for much more time. Then Mufasa picked him again. The big lion jumped to a near rock ledge and droppen Simba on it, but in the next second he was strucked by a wildebeest and carried into the stampede once again.

"Dad!" shouted a frightened Simba.

Simba tried to find his father in the swirling mass of wildebeest and dust below him, but he couldn't. However, in the last second, Mufasa jumped out of the stampede, managed to land om the rock slope, and began climbing, with great difficulty, to the top of the gorge. Simba cheered up, and started to climb up to the top of the gorge.

Meanwhile, out of Simba's sight, Mufasa reached a point before a ledge, where the rock was too steep for him to climb more. His claws were scrapping, and his back paws didn't have traction. Above him, on the ledge, was Scar.

"Scar." shouted Mufasa before slipping a little bit more. "Brother. Help me!"

Scar looked disdainfully to Mufasa, and then latched onto Mufasa's front paws with his claws extended. Mufasa made a roar of deep pain, but also a roar of sudden realization. Scar looked him right in the eyes. At that time, Mufasa had a flashback of their lives 'till that time.

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Mufasa remembered when Taka was born. Remembered how Ahadi named the cub "Taka", because, according to him, "the name suits him perfectly." Remembered of Taka's happy cubhood. Remembered when they were best friends. Remembered when Ahadi spoke with Taka with contained hatred in his voice. Remembered when Taka tried to hit him, after he revealed his secret about the hyenas. Remembered when Ahadi, filled with anger, gave Taka the scar that created his other name. Remembered when he and Sarabi got married, and how Scar became even more hateful. Remembers when Uru died on the same day. Remembered when Ahadi died after the attack of the hyenas. Remembered when Simba was born.

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It was too late to do anything. Scar looked at him with deep hatred in his eyes. For a short moment, Mufasa thought to see some hesitation in Scar's eyes, but in the next moment, Scar sank his claws even more in Mufasa's paws, and said, with a slow and evil voice: "Long live the king."

"What was I expecting after all?" thought Mufasa, with some resignation replacing his fear. "That he wouldn't end up killing me? After all that I've done to him? I've been killing him during all my life! Maybe not physically, but I've been killing him all my life! Well… let's just hope that he is a good king until Simba reaches adulthood."

Only then, Mufasa understood another thing. Scar wouldn't just kill him, he'd kill Simba as well! He had done it not only for revenge, but for kingship as well. Mufasa's heart slowly filled with fear and desperation, but it was too late.

Scar threw his brother backwards. Mufasa freefell, back first. Mufasa screamed in desperation, at the exact time than Simba screamed in fear. He couldn't believe what had happened.

However, shortly after, the stampede passed, and, on the next moment, Simba went down, in an attemp to find his father.

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Meanwhile, and not too far from there, Timon and Pumbaa were keeping their search of their dream home. They had returned safely to the Pride Lands, and they even slept a little bit, but, like Timon was too anxious to find their dream home, now they were returning to the search. Fortunately, after a good night of sleep, and probably because of the return to more fammiliar territory, the meerkat was much calmer, a fact that Timon greeted happily.

Timon was the one looking around, like usually, and said, while he looked around: "Beyond what you see… beyond what you see…"

Then, he stopped looking around, and shouted: "Hey, you am I supposed to look beyond what I see, beyond that?"

Timon was looking to Pumbaa's butt. The warthog understood that, and said shamefully: "Sorry." and moved aside to reveal a gorge.

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Shortly after, Pumbaa was walking through the gorge, with Timon under his belly, to be in the shade. The gorge was made only from rock, without having any kind of plant to give shade, or any kind of water source. A lizard looked disdainfully at the meerkat and the warthog, too big to use the cracks of the rock as a shelter. Timon looked around, and said, almost in desperation: "What this place lacks in water and shade, it makes up for searing heat and blinding sunshine! Home sweet home, Pumbaa!"

But Timon was forced to change it's opinion, because, at that moment, the ground began rumbling. Timon and Pumbaa looked around, and saw some birds flocking into the air from the gorge's rim, while countless wildebeests began pouring over the edge and down into the valley's floor. They wre rapidly approaching Timon and Pumbaa in a massive stampede.

"Shall we run for our lives?" asked Pumbaa, affecting a gracious and leisurely air.

"Oh, yes, let's." said Timon, affecting the same air.

They both screamed and took off running in front of the huge herd of wildebeests, running as fast as they could. But the wildebeests rapidly caught them, and, despite Timon and Pumbaa's continuous attempts to avoid them, Timon ended up on Pumbaa's head, while the warthog ended up on top of one wildebeest's head. Suddenly, the herd separated before them to reveal a cliff's edge.

"Hang on, Timon!" shouted Pumbaa bravely.

"This is it!" shouted Timon desperately. "Goodbye, cruel world!"

Suddenly, the wildebeest screeched on the edge of the cliff, pitching Timon and Pumbaa off, screaming. Timon and Pumbaa gave some midair tumbles, and, just when they thought to be dying, Pumbaa landed, back first, on a slow motion river, and Timon landed of Pumbaa's belly.

"This is it?" asked Timon. He scoffed, and continued: "It wasn't that bad. You can't knock old Timon down that easily! Yeah! Bring it on!"

But then, for some unknown reason, the current became a lot faster. They were floating taken by the current for some time, hoping to find a place where they could climb the bank, but, after some time (maybe some hours, because the sun seemed to be setting) Timon noticed an increasing roar of water. He looked, and saw that they were approaching the top of a waterfall.

"Uh, Pumbaa…" asked Timon. "Question: Is it possible to fall from the Earth's edge?"

"Uh, technically no." said Pumbaa. "The Earth is round like a sphere, Timon, so it doesn't actually have an edge."

But the waterfalls have. And that waterfall was a high one. Not high enough to kill, but quite high. Timon and Pumbaa screamed as they fell through the edge of it.

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While Timon and Pumbaa began running in front of the stampede, Simba was looking for his father while walking through the gorge covered by dust, that made him to cough He called "Dad!" endlessly, but he didn't get any answer from any of the times he called. Finally, he heard a noise.

"Dad?" asked Simba.

But it was only a stray wildebeest. Simba followed him with his eyes, and the wildebeest ran close to the broken tree, and something that was lying down under the tree. With some strange thought scaring him, Simba ran to see what the thing was, and then, he saw his father's body. Simba moved closely, and he again felt small compared to his father. But that wasn't his biggest worry on that moment.

"Dad?" asked Simba, hopefully.

But Mufasa didn't move.

"Dad, come on." said Simba, rubbing up against Mufasa's cheek, while he became really scared. "You gotta get up."

"Dad, we gotta go home." said Simba, almost in panic.

He tugged Mufasa's ear, but Mufasa's head moved back in place. Simba became now even more scared, if that was possible.

"HELP!" he shouted. "SOMEBODY! Anyone… help…"

Simba began crying uncontrollably, while he turned back to the body, and nuzzled up under his father's limp paw, so that his father was embracing him. With that, he began crying even more.

But, at that moment, Simba thought that he heard some sound, and Scar slowly appeared from the dust. The prince looked at him.

"Simba…" asked Scar, in neutral voice. "What have you done?"

"There were wildebeests, and he tried to save me…" said Simba, jumping back, crying. "It was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Of course, of course you didn't." said Scar, embracing Simba. "Nobody ever means for these things to happen."

"I think that even I didn't mean." added in mind.

But the job wasn't all done. There was still one part… the most painful of all…:"But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."

Simba looked at Scar, with his heart crushed, believing he was the guilty. After all, if he hadn't been roaring, the wildebeests would have never get scared, his father wouldn't have to save him, and he would never have died. On that, moment Scar spoke again: "Oh, what will your mother think?"

"What am I gonna do?" asked Simba sniffing.

"Run away, Simba." said Scar, trying to sound scary. "Run. Run away and never return."

Simba ran off blindly, with his heart broken. His uncle watched him disappearing. Shortly after, the three hyenas and Zira appeared behind Scar.

"Kill him." said Scar, and the hyenas ran after Simba, while Zira sat down at Scar's side.

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Meanwhile, Simba reached a part of the gorge that almost had no way out, with the exception of a small way to reach the lip of the gorge, seemingly too steep for a cub like him. At that moment, he heard a sound, and turned backwards, only to see the three hyenas chasing him. Without having another choice (except to die), Simba climbed through the way to reach the lip of the gorge, avoiding Banzai's paw right on time.

But, when he arrived to the top, he saw, terrified, a sheer drop on the other side. With his sudden stop, he pushed some stones from the edge. But then, he turned around, and noticed that the hyenas were still chasing him. Again, it was his only choice. He jumped, and ended up tumbling into a patch of briars below. The hyenas wre still chasing him, but when they saw the briars, they slowed down. Banzai stopped, Shenzi ran into him, and Ed ran into Shenzi, propelling Banzai to the bushes. Banzai jumped out of the buses covered in thorns. Shenzi and Ed laughed sarcastically.

Even painfully, Banzai managed to come out of the briars, while Ed kept laughing insanely, because, of each time that Banzai walked, he poked some thorns on his chin. Then, Shenzi, who already had stopped laughing, saw Simba emerging from the far side to the briars into the desert, and said: "There he goes! There he goes!"

"So go get him!" said Banzai, while removing thorns.

"There ain't no way I'm gonna get in there." said Shenzi. "What, do you want me to come out there looking like you, cactus butt?"

Banzai spat out the last thorns into Ed's laughing face, and said: "We gotta finish the job."

Ed rubbed his nose, but he didn't shout.

"Well, he's as good as dead out there." said Shenzi, while Banzai came to her. "And if he comes back, we'll kill him."

"Yeah, did you hear that?" shouted Banzai as loud as he could. "If you ever come back, we'll kill you!"

And so, the three hyenas laughed even more, and made their way back to the Pride Lands.

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The sun was almost setted when the triplets came to Scar and Zira, with satisfaction of the fullfiled duty.

"Mission accomplished, Scar." said Shenzi.

"Good." said Scar in neutral voice.

The triplets seemed somewhat disappointed, like if they were expecting an exploding satisfaction in their caretaker's words, but then Scar added, but without changing his voice: "Very good. Now, come back to the Elephant Graveyard, and go to Pride Rock with the clan tonight. Like I promised, you'll be living in the Pride Lands."

And then, the hyenas left the gorge, returning to the Elephant Graveyard. Scar told to Zira: "And you, Zira… come back to Pride Rock… it will seem suspicious if we return together… and stay with Kisasian… I think he needs some company… I will return soon…"

But Zira, who knew Scar better than no one (except Scar himself, and maybe Uru and Laini, when they lived) understood the real reason for her mate to remain there, and added: "As you wish."

Zira left the gorge, and, on that moment, Scar went to Mufasa's dead body. He said: "So, Mufasa… I won. I was weaker, but I won… the fight for kingship that we started when we were cubs… you know, just when I got this cut on my eye... However, I still don't know if that can actually be considered a victory."

And then, Scar understood. He had killed Mufasa… the Mufasa that began hating him for the sake of kingship… the Mufasa that stole Sarabi from him… but the dead one wasn't only that Mufasa… it was also the Mufasa that had protected him from his father's rage… the one who had helped digging his mother and grandmother's graves… and the one who kept rulling the Pride Lands… after his mother… and grandfather…

And it wasn't Scar, but Taka, the one who was crying and mourning his brother's death.

"Brother…" said Scar, in an unexpectedly sad voice, bending down, and hugging the dead lion. "Forgive me!"

/"Forgive me" song. Tune is very sad, but also a little bit dignified. Scar gets up, and looks at Mufasa, with deeply sad eyes./

First verse:

_I have won the fight that you began_

_The fight that began before I got this scar_

/The camera focuses temporarially on Scar's left eye and the scar. Then, it zooms out, returning to the focusing on Scar and Mufasa./

_However I grieve the success of my plan_

_I'm sorry that it had to go this far_

/Some wind begins blowing around Scar and Mufasa. Scar inhales deeply./

_Forgive me, please, that's all I ask_

_It's the last thing I ask you to give_

/Scar bows his head solemnly at Mufasa's body./

_Now that I have to keep your task_

_Now that you're dead, while I live_

/Scar looks at the sky. Some stars have already appeared, and Scar notices a new one. Although he's not sure that it's Mufasa's star, he looks at it./

Chorus:

_So forgive me, if you may_

_I don't know what else to say_

_That's my last request to you_

_It's only this I ask you to do_

/Some more wind begins blowing around Scar and Mufasa's body, and Scar bows his head again, sighing./

_I know that this will be hard_

_But you won't hear me again_

_So, please, give your forgiveness_

_I assure you it won't be in vain_

/Zoom-in Scar's eyes. Then, it changes to a memory of Scar. He and Mufasa, as cubs, playing happily together./

Second verse

_For our lives's best phase_

_For the friends we were before_

/Taka pounces playfully on Mufasa, but Mufasa rolls backwards and pins him on his back. Taka seems a little bit sad, but Mufasa smiles friendly at him and pats his head friendly. Scar smiles as well./

_For the sake of our early days_

_Before we began this war_

/Change to another memory of Scar: when he and Zira returned from Taka's month of exile. This time, Mufasa is standing away. Camera zooms in Mufasa's face. Mufasa is looking to Scar with anger, but also with unrepressed guilt. Some tears are seen in his eyes./

_I know we had our problems_

_Problems caused by me and you_

/Camera changes to Scar's face, who is looking to Mufasa with anger, but also with some guilt. A tear flows from his left eye, and it flows over the scar./

_I know forgiveness is hard to give_

_But it's the last thing I ask you to do_

/Camera changes to present Scar looking at the dead Mufasa. Zoom in Scar's face./

Chorus:

_So forgive me, if you may_

_I don't know what else to say_

_That's my last request to you_

_It's only this I ask you to do_

/One tear comes out of Scar's left eye, and it flows over his scar./

_I know that this will be hard_

_But you won't hear me again_

_So, please, give your forgiveness_

_I assure you it won't be in vain_

/Some wind blows over Scar's face. The black-maned lion seems to consider it as Mufasa's sign of forgiveness, and turns away, leaving Mufasa's body in peace. Song finishes./

Scar turned back to Mufasa, and said: "I'm sorry, brother, but I can't take you to Pride Rock. You're too heavy."

Scar sobbed, remembering that, when cubs, he sometimes mocked Mufasa calling him fat. But Mufasa never got offended, at least on that time, before Taka having discovered the hyenas.

But the lion with the scar added: "However, I will send some of the members of the pride to carry you and give you a funeral. I promise. Rest now, my brother."

And, with those words, Scar went away.

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_What did you think? Review, please._


	28. Chapter 27: A glorious future?

_This one here is a new chapter. It has much less of the movies into it... but considering that most fans who read this have seen at least the first two movies, I don't think it is a very big problem. Timon's mom is copyrighted to Disney, but I've taken the liberty of naming her Susan, since the movies don't say her name, and I don't think her name is Ma._

_Now, an important warning. If anyone is confused about my way of portraying Scar's kingship, I strongly advise you to read "The Scar's Heir" a fanfic authored by TakaPL, because that was what made me to change my perspective about some points in TLK universe.._

_Keme (male) is copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use him. Ramuka (female), Damu (male), Dhara (female), Vyero (male), Mwoga (female), Kuno (male) and Puana (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission._

_Now, if you have stood this unusually vast part, let's begin the chapter._

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**Chapter 27 – A glorious future?**

Pumbaa opened his eyes, to discover that he was barely seeing. But it was mainly because it was night, and soon his eyes would get used to the darkness. He was still wet and full of mud, but he was alive. The last memories that he had were Timon and him falling by thee edge of the waterfall… the landing… his desperate swim to the bank with Timon grabbing his tail... Timon! Where was Timon? Pumbaa looked around, terrified, and noticed that the meerkat was still unconscious, grabbing a flower that he had pulled off somewhere. The warthog walked on Timon's direction, and tried to wake him up. After some time, Timon finally woke up.

"Timon, are you okay?" asked Pumbaa.

"Uhh, I give up!" said Timon, finally at the end of his hope.

"But… but you can't give up!" said Pumbaa, almost shocked. "We still haven't found our dream home!"

"Forget it Pumbaa!" said Timon. "I've been dragging you down long enough. I'm going home, and I suggest you to do the same."

"Uh, I-I would if I could, but I can't." said Pumbaa.

"Oh, sure you can, buddy." said Timon. "I won't stop you!"

"No, I mean… I didn't have a home." said Pumbaa.

"You don't?" asked Timon, surprised. "What happened? Are you lost?"

Pumbaa waved his head saying: "No."

"No place good enough for you?" asked Timon.

Pumbaa waved his head again saying: "No."

"What, you're all alone in this big empty world?" asked Timon.

Pumbaa looked at Timon with huge dewy eyes. He didn't want to tell about his past to Timon, but his expression was saying most of the thing, and Timon understood that.

"Oh…" said Timon sadly.. "I'm alone too."

He went to Pumbaa, took the warthog's foreleg in his hands, and said: "Pumbaa, you're the only friend I ever heard."

"You mean?" asked Pumbaa brightening.

"Yes, Pumbaa, and pals stick together to the end." said Timon solemnly.

Pumbaa and Timon stared at each other for some time, and then, they fell asleep on the beach.

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"I just don't know what Scar may want with gathering us under Pride Rock." said Asumini, while she and some more lionesses went to Pride Rock.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it is not a good thing." replied Alama, with Tama walking by her side.

"We could give him a chance." said Wingu slowly, with Kula and Chumvi following her.

"Maybe you're right…" said Safura very slowly. "Oh… and by the way, I can see him. Let's just go there."

Sabini, Hiari, Sarabi, Sarafina, Moyo, Nala, Nuru, Mheetu, Leo, Fani, Sena, Mega, Jani, and Tojo were already gathered around Scar, Zira and Kisasian. The other members of the pride joined to the circle, and then, they noticed one disturbing thing… many disturbing things. Mufasa and Simba weren't there.

"So, what is it, Scar?" asked Sakia calmly.

"I hope you have a very good reason to call us!" said Sabini, almost shouting.

"And where's Mufasa?" called Penda.

"And Simba?" asked Mheetu.

Hearing the last two questions, Scar said, very slowly: "Mufasa… Simba… they're… dead…"

The pride froze, hearing that. During some moments, nobody spoke at all, but then, someone finally reacted. It was Sarabi. She collapsed on the ground, and cried endlessly.

"No…" sobbed Sarabi loudly. "Not them… Simba… Mufasa… the most important lions for me… not them… it can't be…"

Penda and Sabini moved closer carefully, and hugged the queen. And then, some of the other members of the pride began crying as well. Some tears began flowing of Nala's eyes, Mheetu and Nuru cried as well… Tojo and the birds also cried… and Zazu tried to comfort Sarabi.

Kisasian cried as well in Zira's paw, heartbroken with the death of his cousin and best friend, and also with the death of his uncle. Finally, someone spoke. Kisasian looked at his father, and asked: "Dad… what happened?"

"A stampede. In the gorge." said Scar slowly. "Simba was there. Mufasa ran to save his son's life… and died… Simba died as well… so, it is with a deep pain that I tell you this: from now on, I will be king after my brother."

Somewhere under the grief and sadness, most of the pride felt a heavy rage. Scar would become king! If he would become king… then, the outsider Zira would become queen, and their outsider son, Kisasian… would become a prince!

And, in the middle of the rage, grief, and sadness… they also felt a little bit of fear. If Zira would become queen… then, she would have enough power to make the whole pride to pay for what they had done to her!

But Zira was still sitting down at Scar's side. She didn't make any gesture indicating that she would get revenge at what the pride had done to her. With that, the pride was free to mourn the death of Mufasa and Simba.

Scar began speaking again: "Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live…"

With those words, Nala and Sarabi cried even more. Scar kept speaking: "For me, it is a deep personal loss. Yet out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise, to greet the dawning of a new era…"

All of a sudden, a lot of hyenas seem to emerge around Pride Rock. All the pride looked at them scaredly, but Scar kept speaking, while he ascended Pride Rock: "…in which lion and hyena come together, in a great and glorious future!"

With those words, Scar finally ascended to Pride Rock. Kisasian shrank himself against Zira, who hugged him protectively. Meanwhile, some of the hyenas were circling the pride, and some of them seemed delighted with the perspective of food.

"Those birds certainly look tasty." said one buff-coloured hyena, coming close to Tojo's birds.

However, Tojo hissed, erected his fur, and shouted: "Don't you dare laying a paw on them!"

"Pff!" said the hyena, opening her mouth to bite Tojo.

Tojo scratched her really hard on the cheek, making four cuts. The hyena shouted in pain, and then she added, snarling: "You'll pay for that… you idiot… you'll pay, or my name is not Ramuka."

But a big lioness pushed her aside with a single blow. Ramuka got up, and looked at Jani, who was standing protectively in front of her son, growling angrily. She said: "If you try to touch on a single hair of my son… I will rip out your heart and eat it myself… understand?"

Ramuka seemed scared for some time, but then she made an evil smile, and said: "Well, well… isn't she Mimea's daughter?"

"That's right!" said another hyena, licking her lips. "Let's just expect that she tastes as good as her mother…"

"You got that right, Dhara!" said Ramuka. "Be my guest!"

But then, Zira shouted: "Enough!"

She jumped from the rock where she was standing, making Kisasian to fall forward, and lie on the ground, crying. Noticing that, she went to him, which, however, delayed her mission in stopping the hyenas, who kept coming close to Jani. But then, Mega came in, and placed his front paws in Ramuka's and Dhara's necks, with partially extended claws. Mega looked at them with a look full of hatred, and said: "If you try to lay one of those rotten paws of yours into my daughter… you won't live to regret it."

The lion partially extended his claws, almost ripping off the throats of the two hyenas that were pinned under his paws. But then, Scar roared: "Enough!"

The lion had a freezing voice that made everyone who was there to obey on the spot. And then, Scar said: "Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, come with me. Zira, keep an eye on the hyenas, and make sure that they behave themselves."

All the hyenas remained still under Zira's stare, while the triplets went to Scar, having some fear of what would happen.

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"What is it, Scar?" asked Shenzi to the lion, in a somewhat scared voice, after they were on the other side of Pride Rock.

"I think that I didn't explain you well enough the terms of our agreement." said Scar very slowly, in a voice full of cold anger. "Or maybe you didn't explain it well enough to your clan. I was clear that you hyenas could remain here on Pride Rock, but only as long as you behaved, and didn't harm the pride."

The triplets gulped in fear, looking at each other with scared looks.

"And… the clan has been here not even five minutes, and I already saw two hyenas trying to eat eight members of the pride."

"It were…" said Banzai, but Shenzi made him to shut up.

"The birds are part of the pride." said Scar slowly.

The three hyenas looked at each other, confused.

"And…" added Scar. "If there is a single member of the pride who dies killed by any hyena of this clan… I will allow the pride to… dispose of all the hyenas of the clan. Without exception. Without ANY exception."

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were now really scared. Even Ed wasn't in the mood for laughing, and that was the most obvious signal that the situation was serious.

And then, Scar added: "I still don't know how… direct… was the involvement of the three of you in my father's death… but my suspects don't benefit you three. If I ever discover that the truth is the one that I think… you'll pay for what you've done. However, I'm being kind, and giving you a second chance. Don't waste it… because there won't be a third one. If you don't behave… you'll pay very dear for it."

Now, the hyenas were getting at the highest limit of scare that they could imagine.

However, Scar added, this time in a calmer voice: "However, if you behave, nothing bad will happen to you. The rules are very simple: not to interrupt the hunt of the lionesses, and not to harm any member of this pride. If you want to eat… eat the scraps of the food of the pride, or hunt your own preys. But, if you choose the second option, don't hunt for sport, only the necessary to eat. To me, those are very simple rules. Don't you agree?"

The triplets waved their heads nodding: "Yes!"

"If you don't follow the rule about lionesses hunt, the first time is punished by temporary exile. If you don't follow the rule a second time, definitive exile… and a facial mark is the punishment. And… if you return from definitive exile… any member of the pride is allowed to kill you. And, if you don't follow the rule about not harming the pride… sudden death." said Scar sharply.

The hyenas felt like if they were about to spit their hearts through their mouths. But then, Scar added in a more relaxed voice: "Now, enjoy your life in the Pride Lands, for as long as it lasts."

And, with those words, Scar left the scene to the place where the pride and the rest

"Man…" said Banzai sighing from relief. "I never knew that Scar could scare me so much."

Ed laughed, and Banzai said: "Yeah… and that he would take his father's death in that way… he seemed to hate his father so much… I thought that he would thank us!"

"Are you nuts?" almost shouted Shenzi.

Then, she lowered her voice, fearing that she could be heard, and said: "It was his father! Of course he loved him… a little bit! It's some kind of unconditional love!"

"But so much rules!" snorted Banzai. "I thought that our life in the Pride Lands would be good!"

"And it's good!" said Shenzi. "Comparing it with the life that we had on the Elephant Graveyard and on the Outlands… or do you want to return?"

"Nuh-uh!" said Banzai and Ed at the same time.

"Alright." said Shenzi, very slowly. "Just like I thought."

And, with those words, the triplets went to meet the rest of the clan.

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When Scar found the pride, he noticed that they seemed calmer, but Zira was licking Kisasian's face for some reason. The king went closer, and noticed that, over his son's left eye, was a scar… quite looking like the scar that he had on his face. On that moment, Kisasian remined him about himself when he looked at his reflection at the water, right after getting his scar.

For him to have a scar, he should have been scratched… but by whom? If he discovered the guilty, he would punish him or her severely.

However, Scar looked at Zira, and asked: "Who did this?"

Zira looked at Scar for some moments, crying, and then, she said with breaking voice: "Me."

"What?" asked Scar, confused. "What happened?"

Then, Zira said: "I leapt forward… some time ago… trying to control the hyenas… you saw… but I made him to trip and fall… and our son almost lost his eye!"

It was quite true. If Kisasian hadn't closed his eye on the last moment, a sharp stone that was on the ground would have cut off his eye. Scar saw the blood on the ground, and said: "Zira, it was an accident. I don't blame you for that. And Kisasian… are you alright?"

"Yes…" sobbed Kisasian. "I'm alright, dad…"

"Alright then…" said Scar slowly, turning to the pride.

He said: "About the rules… there will be some rules now. About the hyenas towards the pride… I think that my adjuntants will explain it to the whole clan. Right? And… about the pride towards the hyenas…"

Scar kept explaining the rules, that seemed quite simple. No member of the pride had the right to hurt any hyena, unless it implicated to protect his life or the life of another lion or lioness, and they had to leave the hyenas to eat the food that spared.

The king also told the rules to the hyenas, and the whole clan seemed disappointed with it.

"Now…" concluded Scar. "Mufasa's funeral will be tomorrow. I couldn't bring his body from the gorge, because it was too heavy, but, if there is anyone who volunteers to go to the gorge and bring him, feel free to do it."

And then, Mega got up, and said: "I will do it."

With those words, Jani looked at her father, and decided to follow him. Tojo and the birds did the same.

"Alright." said Scar. "So go…"

The lion, his daughter, his grandson and the birds went away. Sarafina watched them leaving, and asked to her best friend: "Sarabi… don't you want to go as well?"

"I'd want to…" said Sarabi with breaking voice. "But… I can't handle the pressure…"

Sarabi kept crying. Sarafina licked her tears, and said, in a calming voice: "Have courage. Mufasa wouldn't want you to react like that. And… you have a second cub to take care off."

The former queen looked at Sarafina, surprised, and the other lioness said: "My mother told it to me, and she was told by your mother. I know you have a second cub. And remember… she will be a living monument of Mufasa and Simba…"

Sarabi sobbed, but then she said: "I hope the cub is a girl. I didn't have too much luck with boys… And, if the cub is a girl, I will name her Shani."

And, with those words, Sarabi finally smiled for a second.

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Jani, Mega, Tojo and the birds were finally in the bottom of the gorge, and, after looking around and following tracks for some time, they found Mufasa's body, still under the broken tree. The birds flew to Mufasa, and landed, bowing in respect to the dead lion.

Jani went closer to Mufasa, and bowed her head, while some tears came out of her eyes. Mufasa had been a good friend to her in their cubhoods, they had played together a lot of times… and now…

"Mufasa…" said Jani very slowly.

Mega went to his daughter, and wrapped his right paw around her shoulders, while the lioness cried on his mane. Tojo was also crying, and Bawa wrapped her wing around the shoulder of her "dad". She really couldn't say too much comforting stuff, but her presence was already a good enough comfort to Tojo.

"Don't cry…" said Fidole, although he was crying as well.

But then, Mega got up very slowly, and he went closer to Mufasa.

"Mufasa." said Mega in thought. "You were a good lion, and I'm sorry that you had to die like that… But, as long as you were a good lion, you were not a good brother… I'm sorry to say it, but you were not a good brother… at least now always. You caused Taka to became Scar… you almost encouraged your father's hatred towards his younger son."

Mega inhaled deeply, but he kept thinking: "If you only knew about it since it's very own origins… but don't worry. Now it's over. You can rest in peace. Probably, by this time you already know everything…"

And then, Mega got up, and prepared to carry Mufasa's dead body… but there was something strange with it… something… and where was Simba? Where could be the dead body of the prince?

Mega looked at the dead lion's paws, and noticed that there were claw-marks in Mufasa's paws. And it were marks of the claws of a lion. So, Mufasa had been murdered! And… calculating the facts… he had been thrown of a cliff, and the stampede ran over him. But, if that was true… who had killed him?

Mega looked at the marks. He estimated from the size of those claws that whoever had grabbed Mufasa's paws was a lion or a lioness… in fact… the cuts in Mufasa's paws seemed to have been made by a lion who had Scar's size!

"It can't be…" whispered Mega. Fortunately, nobody heard him. "Scar… he wouldn't do it… but I must be sure of that."

And then, Mega went to Mufasa's body… and sniffed the dead lion's paws. He only noticed the cold scent of a rotting body… the smell of dust… and the scent of wildebeests that had ran over him… and also the scent of a lion… however Mega couldn't tell exactly which lion, even being an experienced old lion.

"I don't think Scar would kill Mufasa." said Mega in thought. "It's just too bad. He wouldn't do it. And besides, I'm nobody to judge it."

With those thoughts, Mega slowly lifted Mufasa's heavy body onto his back. He hobbled slightly when he first stood under the massive weight, but later he managed to hold on.

"Wait, dad." said Jani, lifting her head, and going to Mega. "Let me help you."

"Don't worry, Jani." said Mega. "I can do this alone. And besides, your old man needs some exercise."

However, after some more steps, he added: "However, some help wouldn't be completely unwelcome."

Jani smiled a wet smile, and helped her father passing some of Mufasa's weight to her back, while the two lions turned back to Pride Rock, and started walking.

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The mood on Pride Rock was rather scary. Both the lions and the hyenas were scared of eachother, and the hyenas seemed to be afraid of Scar, which was rather strange, because after all the lion had invited them to live in the Pride Lands. The hyenas slept under Pride Rock, while the pride slept in the cave.

Mega and Jani placed Mufasa's body in the royal place, now empty, and then they went to sleep.

But there were at least two members of the pride who weren't sleeping at all. They were Nala and Mheetu. Nala was still mourning her friend's death, and her little brother tried to comfort her.

"Don't cry, Nala…" said Mheetu, hugging Nala. "I'm sure Simba wouldn't want you to cry… he taught you how to be happy…"

"Scar had something to do with it!" said Nala, trying only to whisper. "I know it! The triplets are the same that chased me and Simba!"

Nala only cried more after that, and Mheetu hugged her even tighter. Meanwhile, Tojo, who wasn't sleeping as well, had been listening the cubs' talking, and, when he finished, he thought a little bit. Now that he was thinking with some more calm, he could analise the facts more rationally. Like his grandfather, he had got confused with the fact of Simba not being there, only Mufasa. And he also had noticed more alarming signals, mainly the fact of some hyena-scent in that place.

Tojo had a limited experience in that stuff, but he thought that the strange smell that was there should be of the hyenas. Of which hyenas, he wasn't able to say, because he was still unexperienced, but he would do anything to discover the truth.

So, he left the cave, climbing out of his mother's paws as carefully as he could, and passed by the sleeping hyenas also as carefully as he could. After that, he went to the gorge where Mufasa had died.

When he got there, he began looking for any kind of pawprints that could tell where Simba was, or for Simba's dead body. But, after some time of looking, Tojo couldn't find anyone.

"Simba…" said Tojo, sitting down and bowing his head. "Where are you? What have those brutes done to you?"

On that moment, Tojo heard a sound behind him. He turned back, and noticed seven hyenas looking at him. It where Ramuka, Dhara, and five other ones, and they were looking at him with a blood-thirsty look, and bared teeth, with drool coming out of their mouths. The cub tried to run away, but Dhara held him. Tojo looked at the hyenas with a terrified look.

"You're not so brave without your mommy and grand-daddy to protect you, right?" asked one of the males, licking his lips.

"No way, Damu." said Ramuka. "I am the leader, I will eat him."

"But I want him!" said another male.

"He's mine, Vyero!" said the third male.

"No way, Kuno, he's mine!" said a female.

"Mine, Mwoga." said another female, named Puana.

"Forget it!" said Ramuka. "Just let me eat him!"

"But…" said Dhara. "Scar and Zira forbade us of harming the pride… they said that they would allow the pride to kill the clan if we kill anyone!"

"He doesn't have to know…" said Ramuka evily. "I will kill all the lions that I can! Especially that Keme… if I ever see him again with enough hyenas on him side."

Dhara sighed deeply. Ramuka always had been a hyena with a rather troubled personality, but since the day when her daughter had been killed after a fight with a pack of rogue lions, lead by a particularly aggressive lion with yellow mane named Keme, she had begun hating lions from the bottom of her heart. There were moments when it seemed that she was determined to completely destroy all living lions, and she had joined hyenas that had the same hatred for lions (or close to that) at her side. Dhara had joined Ramuka into that idea, but only because she was her friend. So far, Ramuka only had five followers, but maybe someday she would have more.

And the hyena prepared to bite Tojo's head with deadly blow.

But suddenly, a stick hit her on the head, and threw her some meters aside, knocked out. On the following second, Rafiki landed right in the middle of the circle formed by the six remaining hyenas, waving his stick in a menacing way.

For some seconds, the hyenas were too amazed to react. However, on the following moment, Dhara dropped Tojo, and jumped to Rafiki, who hit her with his stick on the chin and threw her away. Puana and Mwoga tried to attack the mandrill at the same time, but he knocked them out both with a hit of the stick.

However, Vyero grabbed Rafiki's stick, and pulled him off his hands. Damu and Kuno tried to attack the old ape, but he gave a punch on their faces, and they got knocked out. Then, Rafiki grabbed his stick, which was still in Vyero's mouth, and, with a single movement, threw Vyero over him.

Ramaka got up, with her head bleeding, and looked at Rafiki, who had a surprisingly menacing look.

"Retreat!" shouted Ramuka.

The other six hyenas didn't waste any time in following the order of their leader, and fled.

"Whew!" said Tojo, sighing deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Rafiki."

"You shouldn't leave Pride Rock at night, little cub." said Rafiki, sighing deeply. "Not while those particular hyenas are around."

"But…" said Tojo, bowing his head in sadness. "I… just wanted to look for Simba… to see if he was alive… his body wasn't found…"

"Tojo…" said Rafiki, with a calm voice, but with sad eyes. "Simba is dead. It's sad to admit it, but he is dead. I'm sorry about it."

Tojo cried, while Rafiki hugged him, and then he said: "Now, let's return to Pride Rock."

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After taking Tojo to Pride Rock, Rafiki returned to the Tree of Life, and sat down for a long time in mourning. He had listened Scar's speech, and prayed that everything would go right under Scar's rule. But he was still deeply sad.

He turned to Simba's painting and rubbed his hand across it, smearing it. On that moment, some wind blew through the tree.

"Oh… Mufasa…" said Rafiki. "Such a sad time… why you had to die?... You're not Mufasa! Who are you?"

Rafiki stayed silent for some time, while the wind began blowing. Rafiki said: "You are B… u… z… z… Buzz. Buzz? I don't remember any lion called Buzz! Wait a moment… you're not a lion! Who… what… are you?"

Some more wind blew, and then Rafiki said, very slowly: "You are a… meerkat? Timon's… father?"

Then, Rafiki turned to another of his paintings on the wall, the one of a meerkat and a warthog with a circle of ink around it, and remembered.

"Oh… Timon!" said Rafiki. "I remember Timon. He came to look for Hakuna Matata. But… what do you want from me? Don't you what happened today? A king has died!"

And then, Buzz's voice whispered: "Sorry to interrupt it, but it was also today that my son Timon, alongside his friend Pumbaa, found Hakuna Matata. And I… would like to thank you…"

"You're welcome." said Rafiki.

"And…" kept Buzz… "…I want you to do a favour for me… go to explain everything to my mate… her name is Susan… and she Timon's mother…"

"Alright…" said Rafiki sadly. "I will make Mufasa's funeral tomorrow, and after that I will do as you ask."

"Deal." said Buzz.

On that moment, the wind finally stopped.

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_What did you think? Review, please!_


	29. Chapter 28: A rainy funeral

_Well, after a long absence, I finally upload again. I just hope that there are still fans waiting to read this. Jiwe (male) and Nyani (male) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 28 – A rainy funeral**

Mega got up, and looked around the cave, after giving a big yawn. He had slept badly that night, because of both sadness over death of friend's son, and because of unusually hot weather. He yawned again, and looked at Mufasa's body, still on the royal stone. The lion looked around again, and saw that both Scar and Zira were not there.

He went outside the cave, and saw Scar giving an order to Zazu. Mega listened: "Zazu, fly to the Snowy Mountains, and tell to Malka and his pride about Mufasa's death. Maybe he wants to come to the funeral, after all he is Mufasa's friend."

"But…" asked Zazu, confused. "Who's going to inform the animals about the sacred peace?"

"I will." said Mega, stepping towards Scar. "And maybe I can ask Tojo's birds to warn the animals as well. If you don't mind, Scar… I mean, sire…"

It was strange to be forced to address the lion as "sire" when he had called him "Scar" on the previous day.

"You can still call me Scar." said the king. "And… I accept your help."

Zazu flew away, while Scar gave some more instructions: "And warn also that Joe… he might want to come."

"Surely." said Mega.

He wanted to ask directly to Scar about his involvement in Mufasa's murder… because he couldn't help but to have some suspects about the black-maned lion, but that wasn't the time. Besides, if that happened, Scar could order the hyenas to… it was better not to think about that. Mega didn't want to think.

Besides, he was having a bad feeling about that day. The night had been hot… unnaturally hot… and the day was being even hotter… in days like that, normally heavy rain came… Mega would have to begin his mission soon. So, he asked to Tojo's birds to do their job, and quickly left Pride Rock, and passed by the middle on the hyenas. Most of them almost didn't care about the lion, only looking at him for some seconds and then lying down again, but Ramuka, Dhara, and five more hyenas looked at Mega with an angry look, with bared teeth. Mega did the same, but he felt confident enough in his own strenght to turn his back on them.

The seven hyenas also knew that Mega was too strong to be engaged only by them, so they simply watched him leaving, after an unsuccessful search for more hyenas that would help them.

"For the pride's sake, I only hope that Scar can control them." thought Mega, before finally leaving to the savannah.

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Timon woke up before Pumbaa, when the sun wasn't yet high in the sky. The meerkat was still having some mixed feelings about the previous night. He was finally happy that he was able to admit Pumbaa as his friend, but, on the other paw, he felt rather unhappy with the fact of not having found his dream paradise. He got up, cracked his back, stretched himself, and said, resignated: "Aw, well, it's too bad we've never found that perfect place. Why'd we ever listen to that stupid monkey?"

Pumbaa woke up with the sound of Timon's voice, and, when he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw. Pumbaa had his head directed to a different place than Timon, so he could see what Timon wasn't seeing. He gasped of amazement.

"I think maybe you're giving up too soon, Timon." said Pumbaa, getting up.

"Beyond what you see…" said Timon, sneering.

But then, Pumbaa grabbed Timon's head and spinned it around, making the meerkat to face what he sees. And Timon couldn't believe his eyes.

In front of him, is the biggest paradise he has ever seen. It is a gorgeous jungle, with dense woods, distant mountains, waterfalls, and lush rivers and lakes.

"Remember that place I told you about?" asked Pumbaa.

"Forget your place!" said Timon. "Get a load of what I found! Talk about "beyond what you see"! Pumbaa, this is our dream home!"

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There was also someone thinking about moving at a dream home, eventhough he wasn't in it. At least for the moment. But, on the Outlands, someone was also planning to go to his dream home.

"Shimo." said Bovu, pushing slightly his son. "Get up."

Shimo woke up very slowly, and opened his eyes, looking around the cave, and yawning. He had slept badly that night, and wanted to sleep a little bit more. But suddenly, a big tongue licked his face, and Shimo got completely woken up.

"Dad!" said Shimo annoyedly, yet with a small smile. "I told you for not to wake me up like that!"

"But I woke you up like that." said Bovu. "And maybe you'll regret it less when I tell you why I woke you up."

"I don't want to know why…." said Shimo, beginning to be sleepy again. "Let me go back to sleep…"

"We're going to the Pride Lands." said Bovu.

On that moment, Shimo got wide awake.

"What?" asked Shimo excitedly. "The Pride Lands? Why?"

"Like I told you some time ago…" replied Bovu. "… I will go there, take down Mufasa, and I will become king. And you will become prince, and you will no longer have to live in this place!"

"Sounds good!" said Shimo excitedly.

But then, his ears flicked down, and he said, in a sadder voice: "But dad… won't Simba be sad with the fact of you killing his father? Won't Nala be sad with the fact of you killing her friend's father?"

Bovu sighed. That was one of his biggest problems. As much as he hated Mufasa and Ahadi, he also had liked Simba and Nala, and besides, he had a debt to them, for saving Shimo's life. So, when he took down Mufasa, he would have mercy for them. Maybe he could even spare Mufasa's life… if the lion hadn't as much pride and self-confidence as his father.

"Well, Shimo." said Bovu. "Go on. Hunt your own breakfast. In case you don't succeed, I have a breakfast for you, but first I want to see what you can do."

Shimo left the cave, and Bovu began walking in circles around the trunk where Shimo used to sleep as a smaller cub, but where he was too big to sleep now. Bovu bared his teeth, and thought: "Mufasa… when I get you and your dammed father… I will break your ribs, take your hearts out of you, and give them as a food to the hyenas… and then I will break your meat into pieces and throw it to the crocodiles… and then I'll crush your bones and throw them to the vents of the Elephant Graveyard… you will all regret what you have done to me."

But, suddenly, some more thoughts came to his mind. When he would be king, what would he do? He couldn't just think about taking throne as a way of revenge… he still had some duties to Mufasa's subjects… his future subjects…

"Well…" thought Bovu. "My first order will be to exterminate the hyenas… hyenas! Shimo went out there, with hyenas! He won't stand a chance… oh… what have I done?"

So, Bovu went to the entrance of the termite mound, and roared with all his might: "SHIMO!"

Bovu waited, but nobody answered. So, Bovu roared again: "SHIMO!"

But nobody answered again. So, Bovu left the cave, and began sniffing around, trying to look for his son. He managed to find, and then, he shouted again, before following the scent: "SHIMO!"

"Wh't's'p,'ad?" asked Shimo, with his mouth full, appearing from behind a termite mound, with a prey in his mouth.

"Shimo!" shouted Bovu, with deep relief by seeing his son arrive unharmed.

In an impulse, the big lion ran to the younger one, hugged him, and asked: "Are you alright?"

"Dad…" asked Shimo, dropping his prey. "Do you feel all right?"

"Yes…" said Bovu, suddenly embarassed by his sudden explosion of joy and relief. "I was just worried… that I left you there, unprotected, with hyenas around…"

"Don't worry, dad." said Shimo, smiling. "I didn't even see one."

"And I even say that I want to be king!" added Bovu in mind. "If I can't even have control on my own son, how am I expecting to have control on a whole pride? They are pratically doomed under my rule! But… I must avenge father, mother, Fichwa, and Amini!"

So, he added: "So… my boy, what have you brought?"

He wasn't angry, just curious. But then, he looked at his son's prey. And he got rather surprised at what he saw.

"It's a lizard." said Shimo, almost shamefully. "The best that I could bring, but…"

"But it's not an ordinary lizard." thought Bovu. "It's a monitor lizard, with more than a metre long. I taught you that they were dangerous!"

However, Bovu decided not to be mad. Shimo was unharmed, and in the Outlands, there weren't too many reasons for joy, so they had to use every that came.

"Well done, my boy!" said Bovu. "Now… have your breakfast… no… wait a moment."

Bovu went to the cave at high speed, and later he returned with an antelope. He dropped the antelope, and then, he said: "We can have our meal. A family meal."

Shimo started eating, but Bovu, feeling some unusual wind blowing through his mane, lifted his head, and looked at the horizon.

"It looks like it's going to rain." said Bovu. "This wind is way moister than the one usually felt around here."

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Malka was sitting down at the entrance of the cave of his homeland, the Snowy Mountains, and he had closed eyes. He had closed eyes because he was playing hide and seek with **his younger brother Mfoko and** his best friend Kike, a lioness cub.

He had to count 'till hundred, and later leave to find Kike, and he had to find her before the sunset, or he would lose the game. It was one of the most interesting games to play in the mountains, because there were a lot of hideouts. So, Malka would have a lot of entertainment.

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, a hundred!" shouted Malka happily from the cave. "Ready or not…."

"Lookout!" shouted some voice from the sky, and he seemed to be right in front of Malka.

Malka opened his eyes, and noticed Zazu flying straight to him, with a panicked look on his eyes. The cub jumped aside, and Zazu flew straight into the cave, landing right on Elimu's mane, and falling backwards.

"What happened?" asked Elimu, confused.

Then, he looked down, and shouted: "Zazu! But… what's he doing here?"

"I don't know, dad." said Malka, who seemed also confused.

"Let me through." said one voice, coming from the cave's entrance. "Let me see this poor bird."

Malka stepped aside, and on that time another animal entered the cave. It was a Gelada baboon, and his name was Nyani. He was the shaman and wiseape to the lions of the Snowy Mountains. The primate took the hornbill in his hands, and, after examinating him for some moments, he said: "He's alright. He's only out of breath. With some minutes of rest he will recover. In the meantime, we can give him some water… it's a shame that there isn't food around here…"

But, on that moment, Zazu woke up, and flew off Nyani's hands, landing right in front of Elimu's paws.

"Whoa!" said Nyani. "I thought that he would have to recover at least for some more minutes… air uphere in the mountains is poorer in oxygen, birds of the plain like him normally have troubles."

"Nothing can stop the work of the majordomo." said Zazu disdanfully to Nyani.

Then, he turned to Elimu, and said: "My apologies for coming without warning, but…"

Then, Zazu became slightly sadder, and said: "I have terrible news for you…"

"Hey, Zazu…" said Malka, beginning to get anxious. "It's all right… isn't it…?"

The hornbill turned to Malka, and said: "Simba… Mufasa… they're…"

"What, Zazu?" asked Elimu, also a little bit worried.

"…dead." concluded Zazu with a sob.

Malka felt completely heartbroken with Zazu's word. He couldn't believe it… Simba… his best friend outside his home… dead? The young cub just couldn't stand the sadness and grief… and began crying on his father's paw.

Elimu could only show some empathy towards his son, because he hadn't known neither Simba or Mufasa well enough to be sad, so he could act slightly more rationally that his own son.

"Why do you came here to tell us that, Zazu?" asked Elimu.

"Now…" kept Zazu. "Scar, Mufasa's younger brother, is the king, and his mate, Zira, is the queen…"

Malka temporarially bared his teeth, quite scared with hearing that Simba's creeping uncle and aunt were the rulers now. But he was yet too sad to worry deeply with that.

"... and Mufasa's funeral is today, at the sunset, so… you are free to go, if you want." said Zazu.

"What's going on here?" asked Sura, who had just entered the cave, with a goat in her mouth.

The rest of the hunting pack was following her with more preys. And so was Kike. She had been watching Malka in the cave's entance, and she also had seen that Malka didn't leave to find her…

However, Elimu explained everything to the surprised pride, speaking about Mufasa's and Simba's deaths, and about the funeral.

"So, my final question is: do you accept to come with me to Mufasa's funeral?" asked Elimu.

He was forced to release Malka, and instead, it was Kike who hugged her best friend.

"I accept." said Sura, and all the pride nodded in agreement.

Sura kept: "And besides, we must see if Scar still wants to keep the alliance that Mufasa made with us."

"With your permission…" said Zazu, bowing slightly. "I shall leave…"

And, with those words, Zazu finally flew away, returning to the Pride Lands.

On that time, Mfoko entered the cave. He had also noticed that he hadn't gone to look for them, but he had waited some more time to see if Malka would come out. He said: "Hey, bro, why don't you keep playing hide and seek with me?"

Then, he noticed how Malka seemed sad, and how Kike was hugging him. The playful look in his face disappeared, being replaced by a worried one.

"What happened?" asked Mfoko sadly.

"It's Simba…" replied Malka sadly. "He and Mufasa… are dead."

"What?" asked Mfoko, initially without believing his ears.

Mfoko lowered his head and dropped his ears, also sobbing a little bit, eventhough he hadn't been as affected by Mufasa's and Simba's deaths as his brother. After all, he had not met them very closely, and only had seen them once, while Malka had seen them twice.

Suddenly, Elimu cleared his throat to get the attention of his pride. All the members of pride, used to hear their king with attention, turned their heads to him. Noticing that, Elimu began speaking: "Well… we have received the news of the death of Mufasa, king of the Pride Lands, and his son Simba. Mufasa was a good king and friend, by once taking in my son when he was lost, and for accepting the alliance with our pride. The funeral is going to be today at the sunset. I know that for us to arrive there on time, we would have to leave now. And probably not all of you feel with strength or will enough to come, so I simply ask who wishes to come with me."

More than half of the pride members lifted their paws, while the others didn't, but those who didn't seemed to be regretful for being tired.

"Thanks." said Elimu. "Now… those who wish to come, will come."

"But darling…" said Sura suddenly. "Who's going to be in charge of things while you're away?"

"It won't be for much time." said Elimu. "But the answer is rather obvious. That one will be…"

Before Elimu could complete his answer, a large lion entered the cave. But that was a rather unusual lion, at least when it came to colour of fur. He had golden fur, and sandy mane, but the unusual feature in him were brown spots all over his body. But other than that, he was a perfectly normal lion. Some of the pride members looked at him with a hint of distrust, but most of them, including Malka and Mfoko, looked on him with respect.

"What happened?" asked the lion with confused voice, walking straight to the king.

"Oh, we were just about to look for you, Jiwe." said Elimu.

"Why, sir?" asked Jiwe formally.

Jiwe always tried to be formal with the king. In fact, he was there mainly thanks to Elimu's mercy, back some years ago, when Elimu still didn't rule. Elimu and Sura had found him almost dead after a serious fight with a rogue pack. They took him to the pride's cave and their shaman, Nyani, had helped healing Jiwe. But the biggest help that Jiwe gave was informing them that the same rogue pack that had attacked him was planning on taking over their land on a surprise attack. Because of Jiwe's warning, the surprise effect was lost, and the war was won. As a way of thanking, Jiwe was allowed to stay and join the pride, and some of his medicine knowledges also proved useful on many occasions.

"Well… King Mufasa and his son Simba have died." said Elimu.

Jiwe sighed sadly, but, because he had never known neither Mufasa nor Simba personally, he was not as much affected by their death. Nevertheless, he said: "I'm sorry to hear it. The princes used to talk about them in a good way… I'm sure it is a big loss for them."

As if to confirm it, Malka and Mfoko cried a little bit louder. Then, Elimu said: "Yes. But the important matters is that the funeral is today at sunset. We are close enough of the Pride Lands, so we will get there on time. But I'd like to ask you to keep an eye on things while those who go to the funeral are away."

Jiwe didn't know what to say of this, but, since a long time, he had been helping the king in his best possible way, eventhough he didn't feel close enough to him to treat him familiarly. So, he said: "As you wish, my king."

With that sentence, the members of the pride who went to the funeral, accompanied by Nyani, exited the cave, and began going down the mountains, towards the Pride Lands. Meanwhile, Jiwe stayed behind, ready to carry out the mission that his monarch had given to him in the best possible way.

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"Mission accomplished, Scar." said Mega, returning to Pride Rock with the six blue birds. "I'm sure that we've warned a quite big number of animals of the Pride Lands, and, even if not all, we asked to them to warn every animal that they would find about the sacred peace."

"Well done, Mega." said Scar. "Thank you."

"You can wait now." said Zira.

"Thank you, my queen." said Mega, bowing slightly.

"Zira." said the lioness. "You can call me Zira still."

Mega retreated, while the rest of the pride watched him talking with Scar and Zira.

"He accepted the new order too easily." said Asumini, looking with some fear on the new monarchs. "I don't like it."

"That's because he already saw quite some changes." said Uzuri. "This is only one more."

Everybody knew that the oldest member of the pride was right, but for some reason nobody wanted to admit it aloud. Especially Sarabi, who was sitting down almost on the corner, still mourning her mate's death, but she was also worried.

"Oh… why couldn't I repress my hatred and selfishness?" asked Sarabi in mind. "Now, Zira is queen, and she will avenge everything what I've done to her for sure. And… I'm not sure if I would blame her in fact."

But, on that moment, Zira's eyes caught Sarabi… and she stepped away from Scar, walking to Sarabi.

Noticing that, Penda, Sabini and Sarafina blocked her way, but Zira stopped in her way, and said: "Get out of the way. Please. I need to speak with Sarabi."

Noticing that, Sarabi shivered inside, but she tried her best for not to show her weakness, and got up, eventhough she still had her eyes wet.

"Alright." said Sarabi with hollow voice.

So, Sarabi and Zira climbed to the top of Pride Rock, without speaking during all the way, and Sarabi asked: "What do you want?"

"You saw perfectly that now, I'm the queen." said Zira.

"I'm not stupid!" replied Sarabi, in a too harsh and unformal way.

"Yes, and now I see perfectly this: you fear for what I might do to you and to the pride… as a way of avenging what you've done to me."

Sarabi tried to remain calm, but inside she was almost quivering with fear. Now, Zira would get her revenge on her… Sarabi looked at Zira again, noticing the missing piece on her ear. She never thought that such a thin lioness as Zira was would seem so imposive and scary…

And so, Zira turned to Sarabi, and said: "But I won't do it."

Sarabi looked at Zira, with complete surprise on her face. Zira kept: "I'm your queen now, my duty is to care about the pride and protect it, not to make it to suffer. The pride or a single of the members. I'm not saying that I like you… and I never will after what you've done… because I don't forgive you… but I'm being fair."

"With those words, it almost sounds that you were raised to be queen." said Sarabi bitterly.

Zira couldn't help but to snarl at her predecessor's words, since she had touched in a vulnerable point of her life: her past before meeting Scar. But it wasn't time to get angry. And besides, her red eyes noticed another disturbing thing: grey clouds on the horizon, approaching quite fast, meaning that rain would come in less than an hour. So, she changed the talking theme: "Let's go down. It's gonna rain soon, and if it begins raining while we're up here, we may slip and die."

"That's almost what I wish it happened with you." thought Sarabi bitterly. "I don't know why… but I have enough respect for you for not to kill you… maybe it's just because of Uzuri. She can't have cubs, and you always have been like her cub, she would be heartbroken. So, make it clear, I let you alive for Uzuri, not for you."

And, with those words, both the lionesses went down Pride Rock.

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Just like Zira predicted, it began raining shortly after. However, the rain did not stop the animals from coming to Mufasa's funeral, and also didn't stop the visiting pride of coming.

"There it is." said Elimu, under the heavy rain. "Pride Rock. And there are also some animals gathered there by now."

It had begun raining shortly after the pride began the way, so most of the walking was made under the rain, which turned out to be quite unpleasant. Besides, that rain was un-naturally heavy... it turned the ground almost in mud… but it had to be.

The pride, led by Elimu (who carried Nyani) Malka, Mfoko, and Sura, passed by the middle of the animals, to see Mufasa's funeral from closer. According to royal protocole, the visiting prides could see the ceremony (whatever it was) from closer than the animals.

But, when the pride came to the front line, they all regretted to have done it. Under Pride Rock, was a clan of at least a hundred hyenas.

The lions quickly placed in a defensive posture, hiding the cubs behind their bodies, but the hyenas didn't seem too worried for seeing them. At least some of them. Seven from the clan bared their teeth at the newcomers, and Elimu and Sura did the same to the scavengers, while Nyani jumped off the king's back and placed himself in a combat pose.

But suddenly, for any unknown reason, all the hyenas stepped aside. The king and the queen noticed who they were after some time. Elimu, Sura, and Malka recognized Scar and Zira, but no one of them recognized the mandrill that was following the royal couple, except Nyani.

"M… master Rafiki?" asked the Gelada baboon, surprised.

"Oh…" said the mandrill. "It's you, Nyani. It's good to see you… but I only hoped that I would see you in less sad conditions. It seems that even the weather is sad with Mufasa's death."

"How do you know him, Mr. Nyani?" asked Malka, with some confusion opposing to his fear.

"Malka, this is Rafiki, the one who taught me how to be a shaman. Remember when I told you about him?"

"Oh… yes…" said Malka, thoughtfully.

Then he added, bowing slightly to Rafiki: "It's good to meet you."

Rafiki did the same, and after that, he went to a pile of rocks, where Mufasa's body would be buried. He had one of his strange fruits with him.

Scar and Zira greeted Elimu and Sura, and later they returned to their place at the edge of Pride Rock. The ceremony could start.

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Bovu and Shimo were sneaking in the high grass close to Pride Rock, but in fact that was almost un-necessary for them. With the thick clouds in the sky, the whole savannah seemed dark-grayish, which was perfect for their dark-grey fur. So, they arrived close to Pride Rock completely un-seen.

They were also quite surprised with the fact of not having seen any animal during their way, but the explanation soon became rather obvious when they arrived close to the shelter of the Pridelanders.

All (or at least most of) the animals were gathered under Pride Rock, which meant that day was of sacred peace. The meaning of that was that only could be happening one of three things: royal weddings, funerals, or presentations of royal cubs.

"What's happening here, dad?" whispered Shimo.

"It seems like a day of sacred peace…" whispered Bovu as well. "Stay crouched. I'll raise my head temporarially, and try to understand what is happening. If for some reason we're seen, just run with all your speed to the Outlands. There, they can't harm us."

Shimo obeyed, and Bovu carefully raised his head, watching the lions on the top of Pride Rock… he saw a thin lion and lioness… but the lion wasn't Mufasa for sure. He was way thinner, and seemed to have a sharp muzzle, but that was all what Bovu could say. The lioness… he wasn't recalling her as well, but he also noticed her sharp muzzle… quite simmilar to the one of the lion.

"Funny." thought Bovu. "It reminds me about someone, but who might be?"

However, before Bovu was able to guess who the lioness reminded him off, he heard his son's whisper.

"Dad…" said Shimo. "Look! It's Joe!"

Bovu looked to where Shimo was pointing… and saw Joe, behind the line of animals, seemingly trying to look by the middle of the animals, paying homage to the same thing. No… it couldn't be Joe… the Joe that he had seen some time ago was way too thin for his size… but it seemed that he had been living in the Pride Lands, and some time of feeding in fertile land seemed to turn him back into a strong and powerful lion. However, Joe knew Bovu, and Bovu knew Joe, so maybe he would be able to ask him what was happening.

Bovu went to Joe very silently, with Shimo following him, and he whispered: "Psst. Joe! Come here!"

Joe turned around, looking for the animals that had called him, without seeing them for some time, but then, he noticed Bovu and Shimo hiding in the grass.

"Bovu, Shimo!" said Joe happily. "What are…"

"Sssshhh! Lower!" said Bovu impatiently. "Come here…"

Joe went very silently to Bovu and Shimo, and said: "What is it?"

"What's going on here?" whispered Bovu.

"Oh…" said Joe, with his face becoming sad. "Don't you know?... Mufasa died…"

Both Bovu and Shimo were quite surprised by the words of the brown lion. They weren't crying, because no one of them came to know Mufasa well enough to be sad about his death, but Bovu was feeling somewhat surprised.

"So, I came to kill Mufasa, and Mufasa died before I could do it? Well… nothing of that matters now. Probably, that lion on Pride Rock is one of the lions in the pride that Mufasa mentioned, and he will rule until Simba is grown up… and I won't kill Simba. I have a debt to him, I can't hurt him."

But Bovu only added loud: "Thanks Joe. That's what we wanted to know. Come on Shimo, let's go home."

Bovu and Shimo turned around, and returned to the Outlands under the heavy rain. But then, Shimo whispered: "Dad, I thought we were going to live in the Pride Lands from now on? And now… we return to the Outlands? Again?"

"Shimo…" said Bovu sadly. "Look, I came here thinking that Mufasa was the king and I would take him down. But now, Mufasa is dead, and it seems that some other lion in the pride will rule as regent until Simba reaches adulthood. And then, to conquer the Pride Lands, I would have to kill both the regent and Simba…"

"No!" shouted Shimo, terrified. "You can't kill Simba! He saved me!"

"That's why we're going to the Outlands!" said Bovu, resignated.

Then, noticing his son's sad face, he added, trying to cheer him up: "Look Shimo, I know you don't like the Outlands. Honestly, I also don't like them. But we'll just stay there until you are full-grown, and then look for a better place to live."

Shimo sighed of resignation, but he seemed conformed. Bovu and Shimo finally disappeared in the heavy rain.

"Strange guys." thought Joe, looking at them. "I wonder what they were doing here. Oh, never mind."

And, with those thoughts, Joe turned his head back to the top of Pride Rock. There, Scar and Zira are looking over the animals.

/"Death and life" song. Tune is rather dark and sad. A capture of Scar and Zira on the edge of Pride Rock. They are both rather solemn./

First verse:

_Since the day when we come down into to this world_

_We're aware how life's taking it bends_

_And in spite of all our desprate efforts_

_How it started, it one day would end_

/Scar looks at the rocks where his brother is going to be buried, and, in the middle of the rain drops on his face, a tear is seen. Zira nuzzles him, trying to comfort him./

Death is part of the life and it's passing

It's so hard to admit, but it's true

There is no point in that pointless chasing

If the finish is placed deep in You

/Capture changes to another part of Pride Rock: Moyo, Leo, and Mega are placing Mufasa's body on their backs. They're all deeply sad. We also see Sarabi, she has her head./

Chorus:

_Life and death – like day and night_

_So different, but still as united_

_Don't matter what - You can't separate_

_The dawn and dusk from our fate_

/Capture changes to Leo, Moyo and Mega carrying the dead Mufasa. Then, we see some more funerals: Uru, Laini, and Mega carrying Mohatu's body, then Mufasa carrying Uru's body while Scar is carrying Laini's body, then Scar and Mega carrying Ahadi's body. Finally, it changes to the present time./

_They're joined in round, part of the whole_

_They wait their turn, as Circle calls_

_In the end they stand as one_

_With our last breath – they both are done_

/Camera changes to Kisasian. Suddenly, he hugs Sarabi's paw, with some tears coming out of his eyes. One of the tears flows over his wound on the eye, and burns it. We can see that Sarabi seems deeply surprised, looking on the cub almost with hatred./

Second verse:

_It's hard to accept this sad promice_

_But is has to be taken as truth_

_Because You will learn, as You grow up_

_You can't split the whole world into two_

/Sarabi takes an unexpected attitude. She hugs Kisasian and licks his face. Meanwhile, camera changes to Mufasa, already in the middle of the pile of rocks. Rafiki breaks his fruit, and paints some signals in the lion's face, before making some sacred movements./

_Death and life are always there_

_From the very dawn of time_

_Till the last dusk takes it's share_

_That's not fair – it's just defined_

/Rafiki steps aside, and Moyo, Leo, and Mega to step forward and push the stones to cover Mufasa's body./

Chorus:

_Life and death – like day and night_

_So different, but still as united_

_Don't matter what - You can't separate_

_The dawn and dusk from our fate_

/Mufasa's body is covered, and all the animals bow to the pile of rocks. Camera changes to the edge of Pride Rock, and we see that even Scar and Zira do it./

_They're joined in round, part of the whole_

_They wait their turn, as Circle calls_

_In the end they stand as one_

_With our last breath – they both are done_

/Rain stops. We see the setting sun behind the clouds. The animals retreat. Song finishes./

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After the animals having retreated, both Elimu and Joe stepped forward to speak with Scar. Both the prides were stepping behind, and the hyenas were also standing close. Elimu was the first to speak.

"Scar…" said the sandy-brown lion. "I'm sorry… but, for what I've seen, I can't keep the alliance with your pride."

"Why?" asked Scar, although he already had a good guess.

"Why?" asked Sura sarcastically.

But Elimu silenced her with a sign of her tail, and kept: "Because of those hyenas. If we keep the alliance that means that they will come to my kingdom. I don't want hyenas in my kingdom."

Scar sighed deeply, but in a way he understood the attitude of the king. He was doing what he thought to be best to protect his kingdom. So, he said: "Alright. As you wish. Let the Great Kings of the Past guide and protect you and your whole pride."

"Thank you." replied Elimu solemnly. "Same for you."

With those words, Elimu placed Malka and Mfoko on his back, and started walking away. Malka's stare met Nala's for some moments, but they didn't speak at all. Nyani hugged Rafiki in a formal way, and after he climbed on Sura's back. The pride started walking away in the landspace under the setting sun.

After that, Joe finally advanced. Joe spoke solemnly: "Scar… I thank you for the months of hospitality that your pride gave me in these lands… but now I will leave the lands. I thought that I should inform you of that."

Scar sighed, and then he and the pride turned back, to return to the den. But Mega stopped when he felt some wind blowing through his mane. He smelled it, and said: "It's dry… unusually dry… I don't like it… some hard times are coming."

And, with those words, the lion finally entered the den.

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_What did you think? Was it acceptable? Review, please!_


	30. Chapter 29: Decisions

_Well, here it is another chapter. If you are confused with the personalities of Scar and Zira in this fanfic, I suggest you again to check out "The Scar's Heir" from TakaPL. My story has some resemblances to that one... but I assure you that I got the author's permission, and if you don't believe me, ask him. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 29 – Decisions**

Sarabi got up very slowly from her sleeping place, and looked around the cave. She was almost crying again, but now there was no time for tears. Something had to be done, and it had to begin as soon as possible, because there was no time to waste. On the same night when Simba and Mufasa had died, a problem had begun. The problem had two parts: Scar and Zira.

Since the day when she had lost everything, the pride also had lost its stability. It had two outsiders rulling, and something had to be done to stop them. The pride, and the Pride Lands, couldn't have a king and a queen with bitter and corrupted hearts.

"I know that I did most of it." thought Sarabi. "If not for me and for the whole pride, Scar and Zira wouldn't have bitter and corrupted hearts. But now there is no turning back. They have to be deposed, as soon as possible."

It was the only solution. Sarabi knew that she, most likely, wasn't being fair, she hadn't even given to the new royal couple a week of rulling, and already had decided that they were evil.

But there was only this solution.

Sarabi looked around, and noticed that all the adult members of the pride were wide-awake, ready to listen to her words.

"Are you ready?" asked the former queen, looking to the lionesses and lions.

"Yes, we are ready." said Sarafina, and all the other adult members of the pride nodded.

And so, all the lionesses with cubs placed the cubs sleeping together, watched by Sakia and Uzuri, and then they walked off very slowly through a tunnel, to the eastern edge of Pride Rock. They tried to be as soundless as they could, but because the hyenas were on the other side of Pride Rock, it was very unlikely that they were listening. Besides, they were sleeping, because they were peaceful,

So, the pride sat in a circle, with Sarabi in the center. She waited for some time, and then she started speaking. All the pride was paying attention to her.

"Pride…" started Sarabi very slowly, like if she was speaking to them as her queen. She wasn't queen anymore, in legal matters, but the pride still considered her as a queen.

She kept: "We have a problem, and I'm sure that you all know that."

But she was wrong, because Mega asked, with innocence (real or faked): "What problem?"

Sarabi looked to the old lion for some seconds, and then she said: "Scar and Zira. They are the problem."

She stressed particularly the word "Zira", and she kept: "Like we all know, now they are king and queen. But they don't fit for the role."

"And how do you know that?" asked Mega, with faked innocence.

He wasn't sure of what Sarabi intended, but it was sure that it would only bring problems. But, seeing the stare that all the pride gave to him, he decided to stay silent. Even so, Sarabi decided to explain: "Look at them! Both of them are evil! Scar is surely evil, or he wouldn't have invited hyenas to the Pride Lands! And Zira… she is an outsider! An outsider can't rule!"

"That's right!" said Wingu with a hiss. "An outsider can't rule!"

Mega narrowed his eyes again, but he decided to listen the rest of the talking without interrupting, because that would most likely be his best decision.

"And Scar…" kept Sarabi. "He is evil, he also can't rule."

"It's mainly because of Ahadi." said Fani suddenly. "We all know that Ahadi was mean to his son. If not for him, Scar would be prepared to be king."

"It wasn't Ahadi's fault!" almost shouted Mega.

But he repressed his scream in the last moment, fearing that the hyenas, or anyone around, would listen to him, and discover the secret meeting. Then, they were most likely in serious trouble.

But then, Sabini looked on him, and said: "It was Ahadi's fault. Ahadi was…"

"Deeply marked by his past." said Mega, completing the sentence for Sabini. "He wasn't evil, and I know it. I know his life since the day when he was born."

"And… would you mind telling us a little bit more?" asked Safura with a curious look. "I think that we all have the right to know."

"You may have." said Mega thoughtfully. "But I can't tell it. On the day when we came to the pride, Ahadi told me that he wanted to forget his old life, and asked me to promise to not speaking about it to anyone. I promised, and I keep my word."

The lion stressed the four last words. The pride kept looking at him for some time more, like if they expected Mega to change his mind and tell something, but the orange-maned lion was undisturbable. So, all the pride turned his attention back to Sarabi. Asumini asked: "So… what do we have to do for depose Scar and Zira?"

"It's very simple." said Sarabi, speaking again. "We need one male to challenge Scar, defeat him, and become king after him."

"I can do that." said Leo.

"Me too." said Moyo.

It was true. Both the males were strong enough to depose Scar without any problem. But being strong seemingly wasn't enough, or at least that was Sarabi thought, because she looked on them with disapproval, and said: "Sorry, but you can't do it."

Both lions opened their mouths, but, before they asked something, Sarabi said: "It's not that you are mean. You are good lions, we all know that."

The pride nodded, and Sarabi continued: "But being a good lion doesn't mean be a good king. So, the solution is very simple. We must choose one of the male cubs of the pride to be king. We will train him when it comes to the physical part of streght, hunting, and fighting, and Rafiki will train him when it comes to the wisdom part. I'm sure that he will agree."

But then, Alama asked: "Who will be the male cub?"

"Tojo." said Sarabi without hesitation.

The pride gasped from surprise, but Jani and Mega were the most surprised ones.

"He's strong and healthy." said Sarabi. "Fortunately, no one of his accidents has disabled him permanently. And he had no accident since the day when the birds came to him."

For a second, no one reacted, but finally Jani said: "You won't get my son into this! He's innocent!"

Sarabi seemed surprised for some moments. Obviously, she wasn't counting with that reaction from Jani. But she changed her speech on the spot: "Think for a moment, Jani. When Tojo becomes king and deposes Scar, we will get rid of those hyenas. The hyenas that killed your mother!"

With those words, Jani bared her teeth and extended her claws.

"If it was for me, those hyenas would be dead by now!" growled the yellow lioness.

"But we won't be allowed to kill them as long as Scar rules." said Sarabi.

Those words finally left Jani without an argument to counterpoint Sarabi's words. But then, Penda lifted a problem: "Sarabi, dear… if Tojo becomes king… who will become his queen?"

The former queen thought for some seconds. She obviously hadn't thought about that part of the problem.

"That's a hard question…." thought Sarabi, with narrowed eyes. "Fortunately mom remembered me of it. But… let's see…"

For some time, the only sound that was listened was the noise of the wind blowing in the grass and trees… the same dry wind, blowing from north, that Mega had felt…

"From the Outlands…" thought Mega, with a shiver, in spite of the hot and dry wind. "I think I was right… there are hard times about to come…"

But Sarabi finally answered to her mother's question. She said: "It could be Kula… or Kilia… Tojo seems to be a good friend with them both… or then, my Shani…"

"What do you mean?" asked Wingu, surprised.

Then, Sarabi remembered that she hadn't told her secret yet… but now it was the time. She said: "I'm pregnant again. The cub is Mufasa's daughter. I'm almost sure that it will be a girl. Don't ask me why."

After all the pride saying "Congralutaions." Sarabi kept: "But probably Tojo's queen will be Kula. It may be just my impression, but I think that Tojo likes her enough to consider having her as a mate when they both become adults. On that time… those blasted Scar and Zira will have what they deserve!"

The pride whispered of approval, but then, Mega stepped in, and said: "Listen to yourselves for some time! You are plotting against king and queen! You are planning to kill them! You are all being criminals!"

The pride was without words for some time, and then, Mega kept: "You haven't even given a chance to Scar and Zira as monarchs, and you already said that they don't fit!"

Leo said: "Mega, listen, it's very simple. Scar doesn't know how to rule, because he wasn't taught. And Zira is an outsider!"

"Don't you think that you're being a little bit racist?" asked Mega bitterly.

Leo stayed silent, but Moyo replaced him: "And to be honest, Scar and Zira quite look like each other… Scar is almost an outsider as well!"

But Mega said, without speaking louder, but adding all the decisiveness that he could: "Scar and Zira might very well be fitting to the role of king and queen. Remember this about Zira: she as queen, has the right to avenge herself for everything that you all have done to her…"

Almost all the members of the pride shrank into themselves of shame, and also of fear, but Mega continued: "…and I'm sure that you all know that you deserve it. However, Zira already proved to be able to swallow her hatred, and pretend that nothing happened. And Scar, with inviting the hyenas to the Pride Lands, already proved to be able to swallow his hatred about what they did to Ahadi."

All the pride gasped from amaze, and Jani turned to her father, preparing to shout, but Mega lifted his paw, interrupting her, and said: "I'm not saying that I forgive them for what they've done to Ahadi… or to Mimea…"

When he spoke about his deceased mate, his mane erected from anger, and he extended his claws, showing that he was slightly losing his temper. The pride got slightly satisfied with that, but Mega continued: "… however, Scar, when he invited the hyenas to the Pride Lands, could probably be showing only mercy for them. Imagine what is living in a place like the Elephant Graveyard or the Outlands!"

This time, no member of the pride was showing any will of speaking, and some of them were even beginning to consider that the lion was even having some reason, but he hadn't finished yet.

"Besides, what we may need is of hyenas as allies." said Mega.

All the pride got amazed, and some were again ready to interrupt, but Mega kept: "Think! It's the fact of a pride being united that makes the pride strong. If lions and hyenas unite, we will be strong. And we will need all the strenght that we can gather to face the crisis that will come!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Sarabi, with amaze, but with honest amaze.

"Think!" said Mega, in a decisive voice. "Think! What is blowing around us now?"

"Wind." said Sabini. "And so?"

"But what kind of wind is this?" asked Mega. "Is wind so dry usually? At least at this time of the year?"

All the pride kept feeling the wind for some moments, and they even began reconsidering some of their ideas about what Mega said. Normally, at this time of the year, it was dry season in fact, but the wind shouldn't be so dry… yet.

"Now that you mention it…" said Leo, amazed.

"Yes!" said Mega. "And remember of today's rain… it was unnaturally heavy. What does that mean?"

And then light came to the heads of the lions and lionesses. The last time when they had heard of unusually hot and dry wind after heavy rain was exactly when.

"The Great Drought!" said Sarafina, with a half-panicked voice. "There is another Great Drought about to come… but… I thought that the Great Droughts only happen once in a hundred years!"

"I may very well be too nervous without reason." said Mega. "This may be just an unusual climate phenomenon, and there will be no Great Drought… but my instinct and experience are telling me that probably there will be the Great Drought."

"We are at even bigger trouble!" said Sarabi, and the pride made a look that seemed to express that they supported her. "With that Great Drought, and hyenas living here, the Pride Lands may be completely destroyed! Now we really need to make Tojo king."

"That's right!" whispered the whole pride,

Only Mega didn't agree, and said: "One thing. With the Great Drought, Scar may be better to rule than Mufasa. Remember that he was, in the first times of his life, taught by Mohatu, and later by Uru. Mohatu is the king that faced a Great Drought, and in the worst possible conditions. He was pratically a cub when he began rulling, and he saved not only his pride, but two prides! And later he taught Uru, and also Scar… and Uru also taught Scar. So, under all the circunstances, we may very well have one of the best kings that ever lived."

The pride wasn't protesting, just looking to the old lion with curiosity. And so, he concluded: "You say that Scar and Zira are evil, and they are… but only with the evil that you all… and probably also me, at some extention… filled them with. But the only thing that we can do is to let them rule… and one thing… it's better that you all know… Uzuri would rather die than allowing any of you to hurt Zira."

And with those words, the lion returned to Pride Rock, while the pride just sat there, sweating with cold sweat. Sarabi was one of the most scared. Sarabi remembered that on the day when she and Zira had a duel… and they later returned, Uzuri seemed ready to do to her the same that she had tried to do to Zira.

But she turned to the pride and said: "Mega may be right. Scar may even know how to rule… but it's more likely that he doesn't. His evilness may very well have erased all the memories of his mother and grandfather's teachings. So, we must be ready for all the eventualities. We won't hurt Zira physically… because of what Mega said… but when Scar is dead, she will return to the same status that she had a week ago: the one of an outsider. I know that Mega acted like that, but I'm sure that, in time, he will find that his grandson will make ten times the king Scar will be. Now, who's with me?"

All the pride nodded, and then, they returned to Pride Rock.

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Scar was sitting on the top of Pride Rock, looking at the stars, but particularly focusing on the new one, the one that had appeared on the night when he killed Mufasa. And also on another one, the one that he had got to know as a cub… the Brightest Star. His grandfather's spirit. And, for the very first time, he was in fact fearful about the mission that he had in front of him.

"For the very first time, I'm fearful about it." thought Scar. "Being king… it's such a hard task… am I fitting for it? Wouldn't it be better to leave Mufasa… or at least Simba… alive?"

But Scar shook away this thoughts, because he understood that now, he would need to be king. However, he wasn't exactly sure about one thing: who would be his heir. According with the tradition, it should be Kisasian, but, according with the law, the king could choose anyone of his queen's cubs to be his heir. Normally, the queen's cubs were also the king's cubs… but there were some exceptions in history. However, Scar was almost sure that Kisasian wouldn't be fitting for the role of the king. It's not that Kisasian was a bad lion, but… he looked too much like Scar and Ahadi… and Scar decided that he would wait for one of his next cubs… one that looked more like Zira… to rule after him.

But the scarred lion shook away his thoughts when he heard some noise… someone was climbing to meet him.

Scar turned back, and noticed Zira, who was coming to him. She sat down at his side, and asked: "Star watching?"

"Yes…" said Scar, lying down.

Zira lied down at her mate's side, and, for some time, both of them stayed silent, without any real thing to say. But then, Zira asked, with unusual nervousness: "So… what's bothering you?"

She knew that probably it was exactly the same thing that was bothering her, but she decided to ask, hoping it wasn't a too personal question. However, Scar replied: "Kingship."

"What do you mean?" asked Zira.

Now she knew that she was right, however she wanted to know Scar's reasons.

"Look…" said her mate nervously. "I… I don't think that I know exactly how to rule… Mufasa was better prepared than me, under all the effects, I only…"

"You only had some lessons with your grandfather, and some lessons with your mother." said Zira. "But those lessons are for sure more worthy than those that Mufasa had. Listen, Ahadi was a rogue. I'm not saying that all the rogues are bad… and even Ahadi wasn't a bad lion…"

Scar looked on Zira with amazement. After everything that his father had done to him, and to her, she said that he wasn't a bad lion? But the lioness kept: "… he was just deeply marked by his past… exactly how, I don't know… but the thing is that rogues normally don't know how to rule. The rogue personality is way different than a king personality. So, Mufasa had years of lessons from a rogue. You had months of lessons of the best king that ever existed and his daughter! You'll be ten times the king Mufasa was."

"My mom told me the same once." said Scar, sadly.

"You'll even be as good as your g…" tried to say Zira, but Scar interrupted her.

"My grandfather was ten times the king that I will be." said the scarred king, with a slightly angry voice.

But, at the same time, he was feeling slightly more confident with Zira's words. Zira hugged him. Scar said: "Listen, Zira… I hope that you won't get sad with this… but… I decided that Kisasian won't be my heir."

"Why?" asked Zira, with a mix of amaze and shock.

"It's that… he looks too much like me… and my father…" said the blackmaned lion. "So… I'll wait for one of our next cubs... and see if he (or she) can be the next ruler after me. Let's wait to see if that cub gets more of your side of the family."

On that moment, Zira turned back, crying, and she said, by the middle of two sobs and some tears: "I hope that none of our cubs gets something of my side of the family."

"Why?" asked Scar, confused.

"Look at what I did!" almost shouted Zira, but she repressed it on the last moment. "I killed my mother! I'm a monster! I don't want to…"

"Hush." interrupted Scar, hugging Zira very tight. "Zira, you didn't kill your mother. It was an accident…"

"That had a terrible result!" said Zira. "If the pride has a queen like I am…"

"It will have one of the best queens that ever existed." said Scar. "You will be a good queen… you'll be better than Sarabi for sure."

"And how do you know it?" asked Zira, looking at her mate with wet eyes.

"Because I haven't seen yet anything showing that you want to… avenge… for what the pride has done to you… and honestly, I wouldn't blame too much if you did. However, that was a good step for being a good queen…"

"Maybe you are right…" said Zira. "That is probably right… I will do my best… for my family… and also for your mother… And I respect your decision of not making Kisasian an heir… I'm sure that more cubs will come. Now let's go to sleep…"

"I'll catch up with you." said Scar.

Zira went down, and Scar looked at the stars again. He said: "Well, I'll try my best to rule these lands… for you mom..., for you, grandpa…, and also for you, Mufasa… and dad…"

Finally, Scar went down, and went to the cave to sleep.

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Under normal circunstances, both Scar and Zira would notice something unusual in the cave, but this time, because they were tired, they failed in noticing one very important thing: one lioness was missing. That lioness was Sarabi, and was missing because of a rather dark reason.

While the rest of the members of the pride took their respective cubs and returned to their sleeping places, Sarabi slipped under Pride Rock, tiptoed by the middle of the hyenas, and ran with full speed to the Tree of Life. One of the main parts of the plan: to get the aprroval of the pride, was already done. Now, she only needed to get one thing: the approval of Rafiki. On the next morning, Tojo would begin his training.

"Of course…" thought Sarabi while running. "We won't tell Tojo the real purpose of the training. He's a cub, he wouldn't understand. But as an adult… after seeing all the damage that Scar has done to these lands on that time… I'm sure that he will feel honoured for being chosen."

There was no other worry with that. Surely, the other male cubs of the pride wouldn't care. She knew them well enough to say it. As long as they were paying as attention to them as they paid to Tojo, they wouldn't care.

Those strange thoughts were thrown away when Sarabi noticed the Tree of Life. She ran to it, and she called: "Rafiki! Psst, Rafiki! Wake up!"

But Rafiki wasn't coming down. So, Sarabi tried to call louder, and, this time, she succeeded. Rafiki came down in fact. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to be sleepy at all. He asked: "What is it, Sarabi? What do you want for waking me up at this time of night?"

"Rafiki, I need your help." said Sarabi in a low voice.

"That's what I'm here for!" said Rafiki, smiling. "What is it?"

In a matter of minutes, Sarabi explained everything to the old mandrill, speaking quite fast. Rafiki allowed her to speak until she had nothing more to say, and then he said: "Sarabi, you know that you are being unfair… you barely gave a chance to Scar and Zira to show if they can or can not rule, and you already said that they can't… that's very unfair of you."

"But I think that, just in case, you could help us." said Sarabi, in a begging voice, hopping that her voice would convince the mandrill.

The wiseape thought for some moments, and he ended up saying: "You are right… it's better…"

Sarabi almost jumped excitedly like a cub, but she restrained herself on the last moment. So, she only said, with barely contained excitement: "So, tomorrow will you begin?..."

"Not tomorrow." replied Rafiki. "Tomorrow I have to look after an important business. But, when I return, I will surely do it."

"Alright." said Sarabi, running off. "Thank you!"

Rafiki watched the former queen leaving for some time, and decided that, in fact, training Tojo just by precaution couldn't bring too much harm. But, just in case, he decided to paint the new royal couple on his tree, in the divination wall, to see what the future would bring.

However, he was disappointed with what he found. There were some signals over the pictures of the new monarchs… that he hadn't painted for sure… that had formed on the paintings. And they weren't clear… they could mean anything.

"Great Kings of the Past." said Rafiki in mind. "Please, protect the Pride Lands!"

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"What should we think of it?" asked Ajizi to Mohatu.

Both the spirits, one of a king and another of a rogue, had been floating above the Pride Lands, watching everything that had happened. They had watched the pride's plot, and Sarabi's talking to Rafiki, and also Rafiki's strange painting.

"I don't really know, my friend." said Mohatu. "But maybe it turned out better like that. I know that Scar shouldn't have killed Mufasa… he seems to regret it, anyway… but how to be sure that he will be a better king?"

"I'm sure that he will." said Ajizi. "I know I shouldn't favour one of my grandsons, but… Mufasa was taught by my son… and I missed one basic point in teaching him: in repressing his anger towards his brother."

"Don't blame yourself." said the brown furred lion. "You did your best. Remember that you managed to raise three cubs until they were three years old. All by yourself. I wouldn't be able to do better."

"But you are the brightest star." said the golden furred ghost. "You will be remembered forever. I? I am just a rogue, and I'm forgotten forever."

"Maybe not." said Mohatu. "They may not remember you, but, if not for you, neither Mufasa nor Taka would have ever been born."

"Well… and about those hard times… what should we think of it?" asked Ajizi.

Mohatu didn't speak, but the look that the king's ghost gave spoke for him. So, the black-maned ghost changed his talking theme: "By the way, where's Mufasa?"

"Watching over Simba." said Mohatu. "With my daughter, my mate, Ahadi, Kimya, Tarki, Hamu, and Masa."

"Do you think that Simba will survive?" asked Ajizi.

"I'm not sure…" said Mohatu, in a slightly sad voice. "I'm not really sure."

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review!_


	31. Chapter 30: Hakuna Matata?

_Well, here it is another chapter. Sorry, but this one is mostly novelisation from the movies... eventhough that is inevitable in this fanfic. But those chapters will be away for some time. Now let's begin._

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**Chapter 30 – Hakuna Matata?**

Simba's mind was burning, just like his paws, and his sight. In fact, his whole body seemed to be burning. Not too surprising, after passing a two days and two nights wandering in the hot desert. The golden cub was feeling extremely tired, sleepy, and sad. And, above all, guilty.

He wasn't looking around at all, just focused on going ahead and ahead, feeling the hot sand with each step that he took, but without daring to stop. The last words that he heard from his uncle, as well as the words that he heard from the terrible hyena triplets, were burning in his mind like if it was on fire.

"Run away and never return." said his uncle Scar.

"If you dare to come back, we'll kill you!" had shouted the hyenas.

Those words were still echoing in the young prince's ears, as he kept going, without paying any kind of attention to the way. For more than one time he almost stepped on poisonous snakes and scorpions, but, because they showed themselves in a menacing way, and shortly after they went away, Simba wasn't exactly too much in danger. However, he didn't seem to care about it anymore. At least if he died, he would be reunited with his father.

"But what will I tell him when I meet him upthere?" asked the golden cub in mind. "That I killed him? That I'm sorry? Oh… what should I do?"

He was already on the middle of the third day of walking after leaving the Pride Lands, but yet he didn't want to stop. Because the cub was walking quite slowly, he guessed that, after all, he shouldn't be too far from home, and so he just moved ahead and ahead. In the mean time, he began thinking, thinking about what would have happened if he returned to Pride Rock. What would happen if he did it?

He imagined the face of his mother and grandmother, still mourning his father's death, but at the same time looking at him with deep shame on their stares. He imagined Nala, Mheetu, Kisasian, Tojo, Nuru, and all the other cubs, looking at him like if he was disgusting, and all the lionesses and lions of the pride, who should be uncontrollably sad. His mind also drifted to Zazu, who looked on him with deep shame, and to the birds, who should be They most likely would chase him away, just like the hyenas had.

On that moment, Simba casually lifted his head, and looked to the horizon. On that time, he noticed that he was seeing a big green area, right in front of him, less than a mile away. But he felt like if he had not energy, and he couldn't get there. Eventhogh, he tried to go as close as he could.

"I… must… get… there…" thought Simba endlessly, without daring to shout and waste more energy like that.

Besides, when he shouted, his headache from the sun became even more obvious, so he remained silent. However, he was doomed anyway, he hadn't enough strenght to arrive to the jungle.

And finally, he collapsed. He was still seeing the jungle, but he barely had enough strenght to blink his eyes. On that time, a shadow passed above him, and Simba guessed that it was a vulture, surely coming for a meal. He was doomed anyway.

"Dad…" thought Simba, drifting to unconsciousness. "Dad…"

And, for a moment, he didn't think of anything more.

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Meanwhile, Rafiki was arriving at a den. At the meerkats' den. Finally, after at least three days of walking, he was arriving to the place that Buzz had described as his home, and also as Timon's meerkat colony. It had been a dangerous journey, made by crossing the Border River, and also by crossing the Outlands, but, after three days of walking, Rafiki finally reached the meerkat colony, that was in a quite dry place, however not as dry as the Outlands, even by far.

He was finally arriving at the den of Timon's colony. According to what he could remember of his own journeys there, the den was close to a tree, and the tree had a rock under. The old mandrill came close, bended down, and shouted to inside the den: "Hello. The mother of a young one named Timon is here?"

Right on that moment, Ma popped out of the den at an incredible speed, and looked around, shouting: "Timon, Timon? Where is my baby Timon?"

She completely ignored Rafiki, until the ape grabbed her in his hand.

"Drop me!" shouted Ma, kicking and punching in the air. "Where is my baby Timon?"

"We haven't even introduced yet." said Rafiki, putting Ma on the ground. "I'm Rafiki."

The female meerkat finally forgot Timon for some moments, and said: "My name's Susan."

But, on the following moment, she shouted: "Where is MY BABY TIMON?"

"Calm down, lady." said Rafiki

Ma finally calmed down a little bit. She climbed to a tree, ironically the same tree where Timon had gone on sentry duty, and just sat down. Rafiki also sat down at the side of the rock, and finally said: "I have news of your son Timon. Sit down and I'll tell them to you."

"What are they?" asked Ma.

"Well, I saw your son." said Rafiki very slowly.

Ma nodded, but she demanded for more news with her look, and she was preparing to speak about that part, when the ape silenced her with a gesture of his hand, and said: "He passed under the tree where I live, about seven months ago."

Ma was almost shouting: "And why did you come to tell me just now?", but the mandrill silenced her again, and kept: "He said that he wanted to live in some beautiful place, _outside_, in a carefree place where he doesn't have to hide or worry."

"And so?" asked Ma, confused.

After all, the shaman wasn't telling her nothing new, she also knew that, since small, Timon dreamed with living on such a place. The fact of his father feeding so crazy dreams wasn't helping at all, but he had never gone to look for that place. 'Till one day, that happened some time ago.

"So…" said Rafiki, with an enigmatic voice. "I told him to look for Hakuna Matata."

"Hakuna Ma-what-a?" asked Ma, confused.

"It means no worries." said Rafiki.

"I see…" said Ma skeptically.

"So, I told the boy: To find Hakuna Matata, you must look beyond what you see." completed Rafiki, waving with his hand at the horizon.

"Oh, a metaphor." said Ma in an understanding tone.

"Well, actually it's not a meta… ouch!" before Rafiki could finish his sentence, he felt his head clocked by his own stick.

He noticed that Ma, with a surprising strenght for a meerkat, had grabbed the stick, and had clocked the old mandrill's head. The surprise made him to shout of pain.

After dropping the stick, Ma grabbed Rafiki by his beard, and yelled at him, completely enraged: "You used a metaphor on Timon. He takes things literally! That's it. He's starving out there. I just know it."

Then, she bended down, and shouted to inside a hole: "Uncle Max! Timon's out there chasing metaphores. I gotta go find him!"

"Are you nuts?" shouted Uncle Max from inside the den, making the ground to shake."

"Nice to have a supportive family, isn't it?" asked Ma, disgusted. She couldn't believe that her own uncle, who normally used to be by her side, and supported her always, was now abandoning her.

However, it wouldn't be her uncle that would stop her to find her son. She said in a determinate tone: "Well, here I go."

"Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." said Rafiki sagely.

"Thanks." said Ma, almost sarcastically. "Here's my first step."

With those words, Ma jumped squarely onto Rafiki's foot.

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Right on that moment, Timon screamed of pain. His life with Pumbaa on their newfound paradise had been nice. Just on the first day, they had discovered that the place was a dream home, including dramatic views, Pumbaa's very own porch swing, made of vines, a pool that bubbled merrily,that they called a hot tub and spa, and a well-stocked cupboard of trees full of bugs.

Timon had admitted that life was perfect there, but he had some problems in finding a name to the place, considering that he had forgotten how the monkey had called that place. But fortunately, Pumbaa seemed to know it, and, in homage to both of them, they called the place "Hakuna Matata" meaning "No worries."

However, it wasn't entirely true that there were no worries on that place. Although that was the rule, some occasional exceptions existed. That was one of them. Timon was holding a tree, while Pumbaa pulled quills out of Timon's butt with his teeth. It was rather painful for the meerkat.

"Guess bowling for porcupines…" began Pumbaa around a quill. Then he spat it and concluded: "… wasn't the best idea, huh?"

"Yeah." said Timon, panting. "Gotta be right up there with bobbing for snapping turtles."

Pumbaa plucked out another quill, and Timon screamed even more than before.

"Oh, that's gonna leave a mark." said Pumbaa around the quill.

Just then, Pumbaa heard some buzzards squawking, and looked around. Seemingly, they had arrived to the limits of the jungle, and they could see the desert. And, in the desert, Pumbaa could see a group of buzzards clustered around something. Pumbaa couldn't tell exactly why, but the buzzards weren't eating the thing. This worried him a little bit, because whatever it was in the middle of them had to be still alive, or the buzzards would be eating. Pumbaa thought that they could perhaps save the poor animal. However, it would also be a good chance for them to have some fun.

"Hey, look Timon." said Pumbaa excitedly. "Buzzards! What do you say? One more round?"

"Oh, sure." said Timon sarcastically. "There must be some part of me we haven't injured yet."

"Oh, please?" begged Pumbaa, waggling his tail. "Oh please oh please oh please oh please?"

"Nah, Pumbaa, I'm beat." said Timon, stretching wearily. "You go ahead; I'm calling it a day."

Timon turned around, pulled out the last quill of his butt, screamed of pain, and walked away.

"But it's no fun alone!" said Pumbaa, whimpering.

He was whimpering because of Timon not wanting to go with him, but also because he wanted to save the creature. He could do it alone, but if he did it with Timon at least he would have his approval. Whatever they saved, had to be saved and protected by the two of them.

But, just when Pumbaa prepared to turn away, Timon jumped on his back, and said: "Oh, why not? One more run won't chance our lives!"

And, with those words, Pumbaa charged at full speed to the desert, and to the buzzards, screaming: "Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah."

Pumbaa and Timon dived into the midst of buzzards. Timon jumped of Pumbaa's back, and began kicking some of the vultures, while Pumbaa poked the others with his tusks and also kicked some of them away.

"Get out! Get out! Get outta here! Whoo!" shouted Timon, again kicking one vulture.

All the vultures abandoned the scene, and Timon and Pumbaa smiled.

"I love it!" said Pumbaa honestly. "Bowling for buzzards!"

"Gets'em every time." said Timon laughing and dusting himself off.

But then, Pumbaa went to his biggest worry, that was the body of the creature. He looked down, and sniffed it. He assumed that the animal was still alive, but he couldn't see what animal it was, because he had his left front paw over his face.

So, Pumbaa called his friend: "Hey, Timon! You better come look! I think he's still alive!"

"Eww." said Timon when he saw the dead body.

But he came close anyway, asking: "What do we have here?"

Timon smelled Simba, and also assumed that he was still alive. He also thought that the creature was most likely a carnivore, but he couldn't tell exactly which carnivore. So, he tried to lift the animal's paw, without success.

But then, he got under the paw of the creature, and with a big push got it over his head. When he noticed what was the creature, he lost completely his temper.

"Jeez, it's a lion!" shouted Timon, dropping the cub's paw, and tripping on it while he stepped back.

He jumped on Pumbaa's head, and shouted: "Run, Pumbaa! Move!"

But the warthog wasn't so convinced of the danger that the cub meant for them. He looked and said: ""Hey, Timon! It's just a little lion! Look at him! He's so cute and all alone!"

Then, he had an idea that he thought to be a genius idea. What if they kept the lion? After all, if they raised it as of their own, he could be a good help in the future. Even Shimo and Bovu, who were natural predatory lions, had revealed to be nice enough for them. So, why this one could not be?

He expressed his idea to Timon: "Can we keep him?"

The meerkat grabbed his friend's ear, and shouted to inside it: "Pumbaa, are you nuts? We're talking about a lion."

He crawled to Pumbaa's nose, and added: "Lions eat guys like us."

"But he's so small." said Pumbaa, lowering his head and making Timon to fall on the ground.

"He's gonna get bigger!" replied Timon from under the warthog's nose.

"Maybe he'll be on our side!" said Pumbaa, finally exposing his idea.

Unfortunately, Timon didn't seem to agree, as he replied: "A-huh! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Maybe he'll be…"

Suddenly, Timon's expression changed to a smile, and he said, as though as he came up with the idea himself: "Hey, I got it! What if he's on our side? You know, having a lion around may not be such a bad idea!"

"So we're keepin'im?" asked Pumbaa, walking to the little lion.

"Of course!" said Timon, while Pumbaa scooped the young predator in his tusks, and laid him on his snout. "Who's the brains in this outfit?"

"Uh…" said Pumbaa, while thinking for an answer.

However, it seemed that Timon didn't want to hear it, because he said: "My point exactly! Jeez, I'm fried. Let's get out of here and find some shade."

Pumbaa trotted off with Timon on his back and the lion cub in his tusks.

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The first thing that Simba felt when he returned to consciousness was his wet face. Someone had splashed water to his face, and also had placed him under a shade, because he wasn't feeling the sun directly on his head, and wasn't having so much heat.

He opened his eyes very slowly, and noticed a lion and a meerkat looking at him, with worried looks. He was close of a lake, and there was a tree above him and the lake.

"You okay, kid?" asked the meerkat, worried.

"I guess so." replied Simba in a very low and sad voice.

The warthog came closer to him, and said, in a more worried voice that the meerkat's voice: "You nearly died."

"I saved you!" said the meerkat.

The warthog snorted at his friend, for the first time a little bit annoyed with the meerkat's attitude, and he added: "Uh… Pumbaa helped. A little."

But Simba wasn't paying any actual attention to the words of the duo. He got up, and said, in a dull voice: "Thanks for your help."

And, with those words, he walked off quietly towards the desert.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked Timon, slightly worried.

"Nowhere." replied Simba, walking off.

Timon and Pumbaa watched him for some time, and then, the meerkat said: "He looks blue."

"I'd say brownish-gold." replied the suine.

"No, no, no, no. I mean he's depressed." explained Timon.

"Oh." said Pumbaa in understanding.

Then, he walked to Simba, who hadn't gone too far yet, and asked: "Hey, what's eatin' ya?"

"Nothing!" said Timon, coming suddenly. "He's on the top of the food chain!"

Timon laughed for some time, but when he noticed that both Pumbaa and Simb were just looking at him silently, and that his joke flopped, he asked in a more serious voice: "So, where you from?..."

"Who cares?" asked Simba, without dropping his dull voice, and going away again. "I can't go back."

But Timon blocked him, and said: "Uh, you're an outcast! That's great, so are we?"

Pumbaa interrupted his friend, and asked, half-worried, half-curious: "What'cha do, kid?"

"Something terrible." replied Simba, sitting on the floor. "But I don't wanna talk about that."

"Good, we don't wanna hear about it." said Timon unworriedly.

But Pumbaa interrupted him: "Come on, Timon."

He turned to Simba, and asked: "Anything we can do?"

"Only if you can change the past." said Simba.

Pumbaa decided to give to the lion cub one advice that Timon had sometimes given to him. However, he failed slightly: "You know, kid, in times like this my buddy Timon here says: "You got to put your behind in your past...""

Timon interrupted Pumbaa, waving his arms: "No, no, no."

"I mean…" said Pumbaa, trying to mend his mistake.

However, Timon didn't give him that chance, as he said: "Amateur. Lie down before you hurt yourself."

Pumbaa remained silent, and then Timon said to Simba: "It's: "You got to put your past behind you." Look, kid. Bad things happen, and you can't do anything about it, right?"

"Right." replied Simba uninterested.

"Wrong!" almost shouted Timon, poking Simba's nose.

He then speaks in a somewhat angry voice: "When the world turns it's back in you, you turn your back in the world."

"Well, that's not what I was taught." said Simba, recalling for some time the lessons of his father and pride.

"Then maybe you need a new lesson." said Timon. "Repeat after me."

He cleared his throat, and added: "Hakuna Matata."

"What?" asked Simba, slightly less letargic.

"Hakuna Matata!" said Pumbaa happily. "It means "No worries"."

/"Hakuna Matata" song. It's like the one seen in the movie. It's like the one seen in the movie. Simba seems completely woken up, and the camera focuses on him and Timon./

Timon:

_Hakuna Matata_

_What a wonderful phrase_

/Camera steps back a little bit, to reveal Pumbaa./

Pumbaa:

_Hakuna Matata_

_Ain't no passing craze_

/Pumbaa goes off screen, Timon follows him, and Simba goes shortly after./

Timon:

_It means no worries_

_For the rest of your days_

/Camera changes to the jungle. Timon leans Simba over a green bush and leans over it. Camera steps back to reveal Pumbaa waving a leaf to make Simba to feel less heat./

Timon and Pumbaa:

_It's our problem free_

_Philosophy_

Timon: (Filling down one of Simba's nails) _Hakuna Matata_

/Music stops while Simba, Timon and Pumbaa speak, but the background music continues./

/Simba (amazed): Hakuna Matata?/

/Pumbaa: Yeah, it's our motto./

/Simba: What's a motto?/

/Timon: Nothing! What's a motto with you?/

/Timon and Pumbaa laugh for some time./

/Pumbaa: You know kid, those two words will solve all your problems./

/Timon: That's right. Take Pumbaa for example./

/Music begins again./

Timon:

_When he was a young warthog._

Pumbaa: (In Italian, counter-tenor range.)

_When I was a young warthoooog!_

/Timon (cleaning his ear): Very nice./

/Pumbaa (Smiling.): Thanks!/

/Capture changes to the savannah, in Pumbaa's memories. We still hear present Timon's voice./

Timon:

_He found that his aroma lacked a certain appeal_

/Camera changes to the young Pumbaa. We see him from behind, walking between two lines of trees. As he passes by a tree, a monkey falls from it./

Timon:

_He could clear the savannah after every meal_

/Camera changes to Pumbaa arriving to a pond. He bends down to drink, and on "thick skinned" Pumbaa farts, some flies fall on the ground, and the grass whithers./

Pumbaa:

_I'm a sensitive soul, though I seem thick skinned._

/Camera changes again to the drinking Pumbaa, but on "never", it goes over the drinking animals that smell the air./

Pumbaa:

_And it hurt my friends never stood downwind._

/Camera steps back, and we see that all the animals drinking in the pond flee. Camera zooms-in Pumbaa, and also changes to the present Pumbaa./

Pumbaa:

_And oh, the shame_

/Camera changes to Timon on Simba's head./

/Timon:Hewas ashamed./

/Camera changes to Pumbaa going under a sunbeam./

Pumbaa:

_Thoughta changing my name._

/Timon (camera changes to him again): Oh, what's in a name?/

/Camera changes to Pumbaa, but this time more zoomed in on him./

Pumbaa:

_And I got downhearted_

/Timon (camera changes to him again): How did you feel?/

/Camera changes again to Pumbaa, even more zoomed in./

Pumbaa:

_Ev'rytime that I…_

/Timon (appearing in front of the camera, and closing Pumbaa's mouth): Pumbaa, not in front of the kids!/

/Pumbaa: Oh, sorry./

/Camera changes to Simba looking at the camera, surprised. Then, it changes to Timon, who is pulling Pumbaa up on his porch swing./

Timon and Pumbaa:

_Hakuna Matata_

/Camera changes to a perpsective that allows us to see Simba from above, getting smaller and smaller./

Timon and Pumbaa:

_What a wonderful phrase_

/Camera changes it's perspective again. We see Simba from behind, and also occasionally Timon and Pumbaa swinging in the vines./

Timon and Pumbaa:

_Hakuna Matata_

_Ain't no passin' craze._

/Simba begins dancing a little bit, and a spotlight comes down on him./

Simba:

_It means no worries _

_For the rest of your days_

/Timon (doing a knee slide-up to Simba): Yeah, sing it kid./

Timon and Simba:

_It's our problem free_

/Pumbaa lands behind them./

Pumbaa:

_Philosophy_

/Camera focuses on Simba and Pumbaa's heads./

Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba:

_Hakuna Matata_

/Camera changes to a fern leaf. Song finishes./

Timon pulled a fern leaf aside, to reveal to Simba a beautiful view of waterfalls and rugged terrain. Simba was awed.

"Welcome… to our humble home." said Timon.

"Do you live here?" asked Simba, amazed.

"We live wherever we want." replied Timon.

"Yep!" added Pumbaa. "Home is where your rump rests. Huh."

"It's beautiful." said Simba, amazed, and finally feeling a little bit happier.

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Timon and Pumbaa passed some more time showing to Simba the wonders of their dream home. But, suddenly, a primitive necessity made them to stop that for some time. Pumbaa belched loudly, and said: "I'm starved."

Simba joined in: "I'm so hungry I could eat a whole zebra!"

Suddenly, Timon got a little bit apprehensive with Simba's want for meat. He thought: "I knew this would happen."

But he only said: "Eeeaahhh. We're fresh out of zebra."

"Any antelope?" asked Simba.

"Na ah." replied Timon.

"Hippo?" asked Simba, now a little bit desperate.

"Nope!" said Timon.

Then he added: "Listen kid, if you live with us, you have to eat like us."

The meerkat looked around, and noticed a huge fallen trunk: He said: "Hey, this looks like a good spot to rustle up some grub."

Pumbaa also went to it, and, putting his snout under it, lifted it with all the strenght that he had.

Timon went under it, as Pumbaa pulled the trunk aside and laid it on the ground.

"Ewww." said Simba. "What's that?"

"A grub." said Timon, holding it and showing it to Simba. "What does it look like?"

"Eew." said Simba, disgusted. "Gross."

Timon ate the grub, sucked his fingers, and said with his mouth full: "Tastes like chicken."

At Simba's side, Pumbaa sucked one big worm off the ground, and said: "Slimy, yet satisfying."

Timon grabbed another grub, and said: "These are rare delicacies. Mmmm"

He crunched the grub, and said: "Piquant, with a very pleasant crunch."

Then he ate the rest of the grub. At Simba's side, Pumbaa filled his mouth with grubs, and said, with his mouth full: "You'll learn to love'em."

Meanwhile, the meerkat was picking grubs, putting them in a leaf, and saying: "I'm telling you, kid, this is the great life. No rules, no responsibilities."

Then he placed his arm inside a knothole. Many bugs scrambled out when Timon did it, but the meerkat pulled out one, and said: "Oooh. The little cream-filled kind."

Then, he munched it, and walked to Simba, saying: "And best of all, no worries."

He offered the leaf to Simba, and asked: "Well, kid?"

Simba grabbed a grub, and said: "Oh, well… Hakuna Matata."

He ate the grub, and swallowed it. For some moments, he just felt the taste of the grub, and finally, when he came to his conclusion, he said: "Slimy… yet satisfying!"

"That's it!" said Timon.

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On that night, Timon and Pumbaa already had shown most of their Hakuna Matata paradise to Simba, and he was completely amazed with it. Contrarially to Timon's suspects, when they explored the place better, they managed to find some antelopes, but Simba wasn't big enough to catch any of them.

So, on that night, they just went to sleep, and made a bed of leaves for Simba. The young lion fell asleeping, and, on that time, Timon and Pumbaa decided to have a more serious talk about him.

"Pumbaa…" said Timon. "Maybe we should reconsider the idea of keeping that lion cub with us."

"Why not?" asked Pumbaa, confused.

"Why not?" replied Timon. "Because he's a lion, he'll eat us when he gets the chance!"

"That's not true, Timon." said Pumbaa. "He's a good lion. And besides, remember Bovu and Shimo. They are also good lions. They could have eaten us at any time that they wished, and they didn't do it."

"You have a point…" said Timon. "But when he grows up, then what?"

"I don't know…" said Pumbaa. "But being a good lion, he'll probably be our friend, even if he eats meat."

Timon wasn't liking too much the idea of Simba eating meat, but, for once, he decided to stay silent. He had to admit that Pumbaa had a point. Bovu and Shimo were nice lions, had a lot of chances to eat them, and they hadn't. So, Timon decided to trust Simba.

However, he was feeling too sleepy to have any more worries with the new lion cub. So, he just followed Pumbaa to the bed, and, like he usually did, lied down on Pumbaa's belly, and soon fell asleep.

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"That's too much!" shouted Mufasa, watching the whole scene from the sky-world. "I must speak with Simba!"

"And what would you tell to your son?" asked Kimya. "That your brother killed you? That he has to reclaim the throne and kill his uncle? You can't speak to him. I think that he has too much emotional contact with you. And besides, I think it is better like that, because if he saw you, he would have a heart attack."

"At least he could have been found by a pride, even by a pack of rogues, instead of by a meerkat and a warthog!" shouted Mufasa, furious.

"This may be the best chance." said Kimya. "We need to wait until he feels less guilty for your death…"

"Oh…" said Mufasa. "But he needs to learn how to hunt! He can't live always like that!"

"That's true." said Kimya. "If he lives some more time like that, he may end up very weak. But now, the only thing that we can do is to wait."

Mufasa sighed deeply, and looked at his son. Kimya was right. The only thing that they could do was to wait.

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_Well... what were your thoughts? Well, most of it was novelisation, but I hope that it was still well-written novelisation. Review, please. I still need opinions!_


	32. Chapter 31: Tojo's new friend

_Well, here it is a new chapter... with another of my songs, I hope you find it acceptable... eventhough it may seem a little bit weird. Whatever, I hope you enjoy._

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**Chapter 31 – Tojo's new friend**

While Simba had two new friends, his old friends thought that he was dead and couldn't find anyone to replace him. One of those who suffered the most was Tojo. The blue-eyed male cub was suffering a lot with the death of the one that he had almost helped to raise, like an older brother. And, evey night since Simba had died, he had always some kind of unpleasant nightmare with his best friend.

That was another one of those nights, ten days after Simba's death. The male cub woke up, swaeting with cold sweat, after having a nightmare with Mufasa being ran over by wildebeests, and Simba being devoured by hyenas. He had woken up in the most unpleasant part of the dream, when the hyenas were almost eating himself.

He rised his head, and looked to the entrance of the cave. The sun was rising, and Tojo could see it from there. But what he could do? It would be rather stupid to wake up someone just because of a stupid dream. And, even if it wasn't, who would he wake up? Both his mother and grandfather were grumpy when woken up too early, so the only thing that he could do was to lie down and trying to sleep again.

But, right on that moment, the young male heard some shouts, coming from outside the cave. His carefulness told him to stay there and pretend that he hadn't listened, but his curiosity was bigger.

"It can't be too bad after all." thought Tojo. "I must see it."

And Tojo climbed out of his mother's paws as carefully as he could, and went to the cave's entrance. When he went outside, he looked, and what he saw was rather different that what he expected.

Scar was shouting at seven hyenas, and Tojo recognized them as being Ramuka and her small group. Then he remembered that they had interrupted the pride's hunt on the previous day. The young male also remembered of the laws that the king had told to the hyenas on the first day when they had come to Pride Rock.

"You interrupted the hunt of the pride!" shouted Scar at all the hyenas, eventhough Ramuka was the main target for having led the operation.

All of them were quivering with fear, even Ramuka, who was almost trembling in front of Scar. From the cave's entrance, Tojo had to admit that Scar also could look imposive, in his own way, and somehow, even more scary.

"You know the law!" kept Scar. "No one of you is allowed to leave the Elephant Graveyard until I send any other hyena telling you that. And if you do this again…"

Scar looked on Ramuka, who was the one being closer of him, placed his paw on her face, and kept: "…I will mark you all, pass you definitive exile, and, if you try to return, any member of the pride is allowed to kill you. And believe me, there are some who wish to do it with all their hearts."

With that line, some of the hyenas shivered, and Tojo, almost unconsciously, bared his teeth and extended his claws. He was yet too small to hurt any of the hyenas, but if he could, he would make them pay for what they had done to his grandmother.

Scar turned to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, who were serving him as adjuntants, and said: "You three, get ten of your clan and escort these seven to the Elephant Graveyard. You are responsible for keeping them out of the Pride Lands."

"Yes, Scar." said Shenzi with calm voice, but Tojo looked carefully and saw some hidden fear in her eyes.

"Dismiss." said the king.

The hyenas departed from Pride Rock, and finally Scar turned backwards. When he did it, he noticed Tojo, looking at him, with a somewhat scared look.

"Poor boy." thought Scar. "Simba was almost like a younger brother to him. Shame on me, that I had to kill him… but he was Mufasa's son! And this poor boy… that's funny, when I was a cub, Jani and I used to play mates, and she once told that she wanted me to be the father of her cub. That was before I became Scar… looks like she believed more in Mufasa than in me... and now, here it is her son, whose father is a rogue lion. Actually, those hyenas made him to suffer a lot, by killing his grandmother, and almost killing him… but I will try to recompense him, eventhough it's the hyenas who should apologize. I wonder where I got wrong in educating those triplets."

He went to Tojo, and said: "Good morning, my boy. Or maybe it is still "good night"."

"Hello, Mr. Scar." said Tojo with a little bit scared voice.

"What are you doing here so early?" asked the king. "You may sleep until your birds or your family wake up."

"I… had a nightmare." confessed Tojo shyly.

"And what was the nightmare?" asked Scar, sitting down at Tojo's side. "Do you want to tell me?"

Tojo stayed silent for some seconds. He in fact wanted to speak with someone about the problem, but he had never thought about Scar. The new king somewhat scared him, and besides he should be busy with kingship.

"But Mr. Scar…" said finally Tojo after some time. "Aren't you busy? I mean… you must have more important things to do than to listen about stupid dreams."

"The most important duty of a king is to protect and help his subjects." said Scar. "I'm the king, so you all… including you… have right to ask me for help."

Now Tojo was getting confused.

"But… Mr. Scar…" said the cub after some more time. "… I thought that the subjects are to serve the king…"

"Who told you that?" asked Scar, curious. "It's just the contrary. The king has to help his subjects and protect them. In fact, the king has to serve his subjects. Or he isn't a real king."

The blue-eyed cub was feeling strange. He looked at Scar, and had to admit for some time that the blackmaned king was looking grand and royal as never before, in spite of having a thin physical building, so different from Mufasa's, or even from his grandfather, and, according to what his mother had told, of his father. But one thing that was keeping him curious was that any answer that Scar gave him, instead of bringing him some conclusions, only brought more and more questions.

He decided to make one of them: "But you were so angry on Ramuka and her group…"

"You're a perceptive boy." said Scar. "But one of the duties of a king is also giving orders. I mean, for the alliance between lions and hyenas to keep, we must also keep the order and harmony. Ramuka and her group were breaking the order and harmony. If the order breaks… confusion comes… and then disaster and suffering come. King is supposed to keep the order and harmony."

"Wow…" said Tojo. "Did your father teach you that?"

On that moment, Scar looked at Tojo with some strange look that the blue-eyed male failed in understanding, but that made him to apologize: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"You couldn't guess." replied Scar, calmer. "But Mufasa was meant to be the king from the moment he was born. And my father… favoured him."

"Oh…" said Tojo.

Then, he spoke about his real problem: "But the nightmare… was so scary… it showed Simba and Mr. Mufasa dying…" said Tojo with a deeply sad voice, lying down, and crying.

"Don't cry…" said Scar, hugging Tojo.

Then, he spoke about something that maybe he shouldn't, but it just came out: "Simba wouldn't want you to cry. Remember how he always thought everyone around him to be happy, and to make everyone happy?"

Scar sighed, remembering that his nephew even had tried to make him and Zira happy.

Tojo looked and said: "You're right, Mr. Scar. I… can go now. You probably have some royal duties…"

Scar interrupted him again: "Tojo, in a way, we all have royal duties. We are all responsible for keeping the balance of this world. I'll explain you better. Come with me."

Scar bended down, inviting Tojo to climb to his head. Tojo got somewhat surprised, but on the following moment, he uncertainly jumped to Scar's mane. Scar raised his head, and they departed from Pride Rock.

/"Duties and order" song. Tune is rather happy, but also somehow solemn and dignified. Scar and Tojo are walking through the savannah. They pass close of a herd of buffalos./

First verse: Scar

_We all have some duties to fulfill_

_That's one thing we have to learn._

/Camera focuses on one of the buffalos, and we see that several ox-peckers are on one of the buffalos, and they are taking parasites out of the buffalo's skin./

_This is one fact hard to understand_

_But there's a reward that we'll earn_

/Camera steps back a little bit, and we see that the buffalo feels some discomfort each time that one of the ox-peckers pulls one parasite out of him. But, when they fly off, the buffalo is clearly relieved./

_Our biggest reward is some order_

_Order both to life and to mind_

/Camera steps back, and we see that there are buffalos with no birds, and they are clearly annoyed with the parasites./

_Because there's an important border_

_To where we can't be blind_

/Camera changes to Scar and Tojo close to the Border River, and we see several crocodiles. Among them, is Tanin, with his mouth open. One bird is coming close to him./

Chorus: Scar

_That's because we all have big duties_

_Important for us and for the others_

/Camera focuses on the bird, and we see that the bird jumps on Tanin's jaws. Camera changes temporarially to Tojo, who seems determined to run to save the bird, but Scar stops him with a low snarl. Then, camera changes again to the bird, and we see that he's taking parasites of Tanin's teeth./

_We all have hard responsibilities_

_The most important is to keep the order_

/Camera steps back a little bit, and we see that Tanin closes his eyes with relief as the bird takes out more parasites. Then, camera changes temporarially to Scar and Tojo, and we see that Tojo is clearly relieved./

_Because order is important for all of us_

_And so we all have to help to keep it_

/Camera changes again to the bird, and we see that he flies of Tanin's mouth. On that time, several crocodiles more open their jaws, but the bird ignores them. However, other birds come./

_If we don't to it, then it will come chaos_

_And that is something where we don't fit_

/Camera changes to Scar travelling by the savannah, still with Tojo on his back, we also see normal life on the savanah. On that time, we see zebras grazing, and then two leopard cubs playing./

Second verse: Scar

_The border may not seem obvious_

_But that makes it more dangerous_

/Suddenly, one of the cubs runs over a tortoise, and turns her on her back. Camera focuses on the tortoise, who tries to turn back to her normal position, but she can't./

_Because so it may break un-noticed_

_That's why we have to pay attention_

/Tojo comes, and turns the tortoise to her normal position. He smiles friendly at her, and the tortoise smiles back./

_If we don't we can be in big trouble_

_That's something we for sure don't wish_

/Tojo runs back to Scar, who smiles at him. Scar smiles as well, and allows Tojo to climb back on his mane. This time he does it more certainly./

_With a broken border, our world can rumble_

_And if it does then we'll have big problems_

/Scar returns to Pride Rock, with Tojo on his back. We see some birds flying over them./

Chorus: Scar and Tojo

_That's because we all have big duties_

_Important for us and for the others_

/Suddenly, Scar runs a little bit, and Tojo tries to hold on his mane./

_We all have hard responsibilities_

_The most important is to keep the order_

/Scar and Tojo pass by a group of jackals eating a half-rotten antelope, but both sides ignore mutually./

_Because order is important for all of us_

_And so we all have to help to keep it_

/Scar and Tojo are back on Pride Rock, and Scar lowers his head. Tojo slips on Scar's neck, and goes to the ground. Tojo gets up./

_If we don't to it, then it will come chaos_

_And that is something where we don't fit_

/Scar and Tojo smile at each other, and then Tojo bows slightly, and goes back to Pride Rock. Camera focuses on Scar, and he turns back, going to the savannah. Song finishes./

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Scar went on his daily patrol, like usually, and Tojo went back to Pride Rock, feeling a lot better than he had felt before speaking with Scar. When he entered, he noticed that his mother and grandfather were already woken up, and both were looking at Tojo. They didn't seem too angry, but Tojo felt somewhat guilty.

"Good-morning, mom, good-morning grandpa." said Tojo.

"Good-morning, Tojo." replied them at different speeds.

But then, Tojo looked around, and he noticed that his birds weren't in the cave anymore. So, he asked: "Where are the birds?"

"They went to look for you." said Jani, slightly angry. "And now it comes the main question: where have you been?"

"Oh…" said Tojo shyly. "I've been with Mr. Scar."

Most of the lions and lionesses were still half-sleeping, but somehow, all the pride (including the cubs) gasped after listening to that sentence. Only Kisasian, Mega and Zira stayed without gasping, but even they were surprised.

It were loud gasps, but Tojo didn't notice it, and kept: "And he was really nice to me. He spoke with me, and he said that I may ask him for help, if I need…"

"You may also ask me for help." said Mega.

He wasn't blaming Tojo, seemingly he was just trying to understand why his grandson had asked to Scar for help, instead to himself. Tojo said: "I know, grandpa, but you were sleeping, Mr. Scar was woken up, and… you're not angry at me, are you?"

Jani couldn't answer to that question without lying or hurting Tojo's feelings, so she just stayed silent. However, Mega said: "No, my boy, I'm not angry at you. If speaking with Scar helps you to feel better sometimes, you may speak with him always that you need."

And then, he unwillingly added: "After all, Scar may become a good king."

But then, a voice said: "I would prefer if he wasn't king."

The voice was of Kisasian, and they all looked around to see him. Kisasian said: "If he wasn't king, he and mother would have more time for me, but now…"

It was the hard truth. The recently proclaimed prince was beginning to live in some sort of hell, because now that his parents were busy with duties of monarchy, they had way less time for him than they had before. And he couldn't fill in that time with playing with the other cubs. All the cubs had looked at him somewhat strangely since the beginning, probably because he was the son of the "outsiders" like the pride used to call to Scar and Zira before they became king and queen.

But, since the day when Kisasian had gotten the scar just like his father's scar, after having the accident, all the cubs almost ran away from him. Possibly that was because of an old legend that a scar above the left eye mean a signal from a curse from the Great Kings of the Past, but that didn't make Kisasian to feel better. He wasn't superstitious, but most of the cubs of the pride seemed to be. The only exception was Tojo, who kept playing with him.

However, on the last three days, he had been missing some more time, almost like if he was doing something that he couldn't tell to anyone. But the point was that Kisasian was lonely.

But Tojo tried to cheer him up: "Hey, Kisasian, it can't be that bad. Besides, think that now, you'll have a chance of being a real king."

Zira sighed slightly, but no one noticed that. She and her mate hadn't yet told to Kisasian that, in spite of being their first cub, he wouldn't be the heir. It would leave him too much sad.

On that moment, Koza shouted from his side of the cave with a mocking voice: "And why would we have as a king one lion cursed with that scar?"

Kisasian narrowed his eyes at Koza's words. He released some tears, and said in a whisper: "Simba wouldn't mind with this scar."

However, no one listened the words of the scarred cub. Tojo tried to cheer him up to some further play, but he failed. Kisasian went away, and wandered somewhere into the savannah. Tojo didn't know what to do to cheer him up.

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The day went out normally, as normally as it was possible on those times. The pride made another successful hunt, led by Zira (eventhough they didn't like of the idea of she leading the hunting team), and got food for them and the hyenas enough for one more day. Because the hyenas could eat the bones, there wasn't any part of the prey wasted. Tojo went again to his training with Rafiki, that already had started three days before, and returned alright. But, on that night, the pride had another secret meeting, directed by Sarabi. A problem had appeared, and they needed to find some solution for it before it was too late.

Like on the previous meeting, the pride went to the eastern side of Pride Rock, where it was less likely that they would be seen or heard. Like on the previous time, they left the cubs under the protection of Sakia and Uzuri.

"Pride…" began Sarabi with official voice. "We have another problem, and I think that you all know it very well."

Mega narrowed his eyes at Sarabi, but this time he didn't speak. However, the other lions and lionesses nodded. Sarabi kept: "It seems that Tojo became friends with Scar."

On that moment, Mega interrupted her: "I don't think that is a problem."

This time, the pride ignored him, and Sarabi said: "The idea of Tojo being Scar's friend will become our plan even more complicated… because we have to make Tojo to hate Scar… or choose another of the male cubs to depose Scar…"

"No." said Jani forcefully. "Tojo is the rightful choice. And besides, for how long do you think that he will be friends with Scar, knowing that he is friend of the hyenas who killed his grandmother?"

On that time, both Jani and Mega unwillingly extended their claws, but they soon recovered their temper. Sarabi kept: "After all, I don't think that we really have too much to worry about. When Tojo sees how bad of a king Scar is, he will stop being his friend. Without any doubt."

But then, Sarafina said: "However, there is another problem. Kisasian. Even when Tojo becomes king, Kisasian can…"

"Kisasian won't be able to do anything." said Sarabi, trying to calm down Sarafina. "When Tojo becomes king, he will be able to banish Kisasian, with our support… you do support the idea that Tojo becomes king, right?"

All the pride nodded enthusiastically, even Mega, although he seemed a little bit lost with the whole situation. And, on that moment, Sarabi finally said: "Good."

"However, we have still one problem." said Wingu. "What will we do with Zira when Scar is dead?"

"It's rather simple…" said Sarabi with a voice full of hatred, and extending her claws. "When Scar is deposed, we will banish her."

"I don't think that Uzuri and Sakia will allow it." said Moyo.

Sarabi sighed. That was the hardest truth. Mainly when it refered to Uzuri. Uzuri thought about Zira as a daughter so much that if they tried to do something to hurt her, she would most certainly kill them. But they only planned to kill Scar.

"Tojo will only kill Scar." said Sarabi. "And about Zira, we'll think about that later."

"But… do you think that we have any chance against the hyenas?" asked Fani, slightly worried.

"We most certainly have." said Sarabi. "But we will have even more when all the cubs are full grown. And we will have even more if we train the cubs, as well as us, in fighting and hunting abilities. It's simple!"

All the pride nodded enthusiastically, even Mega. Eventhough the old lion was rather disliking the idea that they would have to take down Scar and Zira using Tojo, he was prepared for it, if that meant to kill the hyenas. The hyenas that had killed Mimea and Ahadi.

"And Tojo is most certainly ready to kill the hyenas as well." thought Mega. "After all, they killed his grandmother."

On that time, the same unusually dry wind blew around them again. It was again blowing from north, from the Outlands.

But, because that unusual weather had become almost a routine, the pride was beginning to ignore it, and, after Sarabi noticing that the whole pride agreed with her, they returned to the cave.

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_Well... was it acceptable? Please, review!_


	33. Chapter 32: Nala's dare

_Well, this one is a new chapter... one that may help explaining a little bit what is the problem with a scar... whatever, I hope you enjoy it. I admit, this is partially inspired by the book of The Lion King: Six New Adventures series of the same name... but as you can see, there are some differences. I hope you enjoy._

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**Chapter 32 – Nala's dare**

Three months had passed since the day when Mufasa died in the wildebeest stampede, and nothing particularly dangerous thing since that day. In fact, the pride was simply returning to the normal routine, as much as it was possible to say when hyenas were living in the Pride Lands. The pride wasn't yet used to it, and Jani and Mega seemed to hardly repress the will of killing one hyena always that they passed by them.

The hyenas tried to complain about that to Scar and Zira, but the king only replied with a voice washed out of emotions: "No one told you to kill Mimea. You weren't honestly expecting that her mate and daughter would just ignore it, right?"

Because no hyena had been victim of Jani and Mega's anger (yet) they just stayed silent. The pride was hunting well, and the hyenas simply ate what spared from the pride's meals.

If there was one thing that rather disturbed Scar and Zira was Sarabi's pregnancy. For the first two months, it went quite unnoticed, because the former queen's belly hadn't yet begun to grow up enough, but later, when they noticed that Sarabi was pregnant again, they looked at her with a weird look.

Some members of the pride defined that look as being of hatred, but others, thinking about Scar's ancient relationship with Sarabi, defined it as being of shame and pity.

Whatever it was, the truly disturbing thing was when, after a month and a half of exile, Ramuka and her small group had returned from the Elephant Graveyard. They didn't disturb the pride's hunt again, because they were rather scared about Scar's warning, but their simple presence was somehow enough to make the pride to feel mistrustful. Somehow, even the hyenas seemed to fear them. Fortunately, no one of them had yet discovered of Tojo's secret training with Rafiki.

One day, Nala, Mheetu, and Nuru went to meet Kula and Chumvi to play, like they usually did, but before that, they would say goodbye to their parents (or adopted parents, in Nuru's case).

"Goodbye, mom, goodbye, dad!" said Nala, going away from Sarafina and Moyo, with Mheetu and Nuru following her.

"Where are you going?" asked Moyo, worried. "Don't stay far from Pride Rock! There are too many hyenas on the Pride Lands! It's dangerous."

All of them knew that by "hyenas" Moyo meant Ramuka and her group, because they were the only hyenas that had shown some will of eating any cub that they caught. And besides, for most of the time, they seemed to be missing, while the other hyenas normally waited patiently for the pride to bring some food, and eat what spared.

"Don't worry, dad!" said Nala. "We won't go far from Pride Rock!"

The three cubs finally left the cave, and went to meet up the other two, who were waiting in the lower part of Pride Rock. Some of the hyenas were there waiting, but they didn't seem to want to eat the cubs, maybe because Zira was there watching them. Chumvi and Kula smiled when they saw their friends coming.

"It's about time you have come!" said Chumvi impatiently.

"Better late than never!" said Nuru, pouncing playfully on Chumvi.

The male cub avoided her, and smiled.

"You're right about that." said Chumvi. "Come on, let's play hide and seek!"

And so, the five cubs began playing hide and seek around Pride Rock. The hyenas were watching them, but, because the cubs were already almost used to the hyenas, they rather ignored them. Besides, Scar was almost returning from his daily patrol, and if he found any hyena scaring the cubs, the punishment that he had reserved for the hyenas would most likely be severe. Even worst, Zira was on Pride Rock, and if she heard something, she could very well give the hyenas a severe punishment.

The king and the queen were the only lions that the hyenas truly feared, and also the only lions that were able to give any order to the hyenas.

The five cubs played happily for some time, but after some time, they had an unexpected interruption. Scar had already returned from his daily patrol, and Kisasian came to meet them, in a somewhat vain try. The five cubs stopped playing when they saw him arriving.

"Uh…" said Kisasian shyly. "May I play hide-and-seek with you?"

When he finished speaking, all the cubs tried to go away. It was always like that. No one wanted to play with him, just because of his scar.

"Why this scar disturbs them so much?" asked Kisasian in mind.

But for once, one of them stayed behind. The one who stayed behind was Nuru. At least this time, she watched Kisasian with some compassion.

"Poor guy." thought Nuru sadly. "We're being real monsters for running away from him like that. All because he has a scar. As a matter of fact, the scar even gives him some seriousness. And as for being a curse... well, the legend says that the scar is a curse only for the lion, not for those who surround him."

And then, another thought just came to her head. The scar was a curse, but… was it a curse just because it made everyone to stay away from the lion? Was that the curse? Loneliness?

"For that it isn't necessary to have a scar." thought Nuru. "I was just like him when I lost my mother. If not for Simba and Nala, I would be even more lonely than Kisasian."

So, Nuru expressed her opinion, with a slow, but certain voice: "Well…For me you can. As for them…"

Kisasian and Nuru looked at the other cubs. They seemed less willing to accept Kisasian as their heir. Kula, Chumvi, and Mheetu seemed almost annoyed with the idea. But Nala seemed to show some compassion, just like Nuru.

"It is hard to live all alone." thought Nala. "And I forgot that Simba was his best friend, just like mine. Probably, he misses Simba as much as us, maybe even more, considering that Kisasian only played with Simba and Tojo… I wonder where Tojo is right now. But I think that nothing nasty will happen if we accept Kisasian."

So, Nala finally said: "All right, Kisasian, you can play with us today."

"Thank you!" said Kisasian, almost shouting from joy.

Chumvi, Mheetu and Kula made resignated expressions, but, right at that moment, something happened that made all the cubs to stop ther playing. Zazu came falling from the sky like if he was a bomb.

"Watch out!" shouted Kisasian, who had been the first to notice the bird.

Almost all the cubs jumped aside, but Kisasian, trying to give a smooth landing to his father's majordomo, tried to grab him in his paws.

He managed to grab Zazu, but because the bird was falling at a rather big speed, Kisasian dropped him and fell backwards, making the hornbill to escape out of his paws. Zazu crashed right into a wall, and he stayed there, and he didn't move at all.

"Zazu!" shouted all the cubs almost in unison, running to him.

Eventhough the cubs sometimes felt annoyed at Zazu, mainly when he had to watch over them, but they all liked him, mainly when he told them jokes, or stories, or when he tried to help them to solve their problems. It was sad to think that he could have died.

"Zazu!" shouted Chumvi, trying to wake him up by nudging him with his paw.. "Wake up, hey,…"

Kisasian placed his right ear over Zazu's chest, and soon he felt calmed down, because the majordomo was still breathing normally. That meant he wasn't dead, only knocked out. The cubs looked around, looking for some kind of help, but they couldn't see anyone there who could help them to wake up Zazu. The only creatures there were the hyenas, and the cubs didn't dare to ask them for help. The hyenas were ignoring them, but that didn't mean that they would ask them for help. Now, their only hope was to carry Zazu to the cave, and there ask to some member of the pride to help Zazu to wake up.

But, before any kind of help could be brought to the majordomo, something dangerous happened. Seven of the hyenas stepped away of the clan, and walked towards the cubs, with their eyes fixated on Zazu. Not surprisingly, it were Ramuka and her group. For once, they didn't seem determined to eat the cubs, but they seemed determined to eat Zazu, and a group of six cubs couldn't do anything to stop them.

All the cubs quivered in fear, but Kisasian, surprisingly, stood bravely in front of Zazu, to protect him from the seven dangerous hyenas.

"Out of the way, brat!" said Ramuka, already drooling in antecipation. The other hyenas of the group were also drooling. The hornbill wasn't too big, he wouldn't give a big meal to the scavengers, but they always had been curious about Zazu's taste.

However, it seemed that it wouldn't be as easy as the hyenas initially thought, because Kisasian, instead of staying scared and running away from the knocked out bird, stood in front of him bravely with extended claws and erected fur, and said: "Get out!"

"I'm the one telling you to get out!" said the hyena.

"OUT OF HERE, NOW!" shouted Kisasian, without showing any sign of fear, eventhough he was feeling very scared.

Meanwhile, the other cubs were shrank against the wall of the rock, with Nala hugging Mheetu and Nuru, who were hugging her, and Chumvi and Kula hugging each other. All of them had to admit that Kisasian was being really brave, but his bravery also seemed to have some stupidity, because he had no chance against the seven hyenas. But as a prince, he had to be brave, and he was being it. However, the hyenas weren't scared by Kisasian's shout, they only seemed shocked. Ramuka seemed the one who acted with more calm, but probably she was the most shocked of the group.

"You think that you can challenge us for being Scar's son…" said Ramuka, lifting her paw in a menacing way. "Well… you know that I can give you a twin to that scar of yours… or even make you to stay without a head… So, I will only repeat one last time: get out of the way and let us eat the bird, or your head will roll."

After saying that, she snapped her jaws in a very menacing way. All the cubs gulped in fear, but Kisasian looked bravely at Ramuka, and slashed her face with extended claws, leaving four parallel red marks, that began bleeding. The hyena seemed on the limits of shock with the fact of the cub not showing fear at her, and even trying to slash her.

"Insolent brat!" shouted Ramuka, lifting her paw "I will…"

But no one came in fact to know what Ramuka would do, because, right on that moment, a roar sounded, and, without a further warning, Zira appeared out of nowhere, and landed, between Kisasian and Ramuka, standing between the hyenas and her son.

She looked at the seven hyenas with her red eyes surprisingly menacing, and all the hyenas gulped in fear, and began stepping back while Zira walked towards them, with pure anger in her look She said, in a surprisingly menacing voice: "If anyone of you ever tries to hit my son again… you won't survive to be exiled by Scar, I swear… because I will kill you… and I don't think that Scar would either forgive you…"

"He hit me first, my lady!" shouted Ramuka, and with those words her red marks began bleeding even more.

"I'm not blind!" shouted Zira, like if the hyena had insulted her. "I'm neither blind nor deaf! But I have been watching you for the last minutes, you know that?"

The seven hyenas began sweating with cold sweat, and only Ramuka had enough courage to ask with shivering voice: "What exactly did you see?"

"That you were trying to eat Zazu!" shouted Zira, so loud that Ramuka got almost deaf. "And also that you threatened my son! Get out of here! And don't you dare to return before tonight! Understand?"

Ramuka and her group fled on the moment, each hyena running with his or her maximum speed, disappearing on the savannah. The queen watched them leaving until they disappeared, and only then she turned to the cubs.

"Are you alright?" asked Zira, anxiously.

"Yes mom." said Kisasian, smiling.

Zira licked her son's face, and then she turned to the other five cubs. Chumvi and Kula weren't hugging eachother anymore, and Nala wasn't hugging Mheetu and Nuru anymore, however the cubs were still scared.

"And you?" asked the queen, still with an anxious voice. "Are you alright?"

The cubs only nodded "yes" with their heads, being still too scared (both of the hyenas and of their new queen), to speak.

Then, Zira finally turned to the knocked out Zazu, that was still behind Kisasian, and asked in a worried voice: "What happened to Zazu? Why is he like that?"

"I don't know mom." said Kisasian, slightly worried. "I only know that he suddenly fell from the sky with a seemingly terrified look, and then he came to us. He hit his head, and he got knocked out."

"That gives us a hard problem." said Zira. "Because I have no idea of how he would wake up, and of how injured he is. We should take him to Rafiki."

But on that moment, Kisasian had an idea to wake up Zazu. He said: "No, mom. I have an idea to wake up Zazu. Let's try it before taking him to Rafiki."

"But what is it?" asked Zira, worried.

"Don't worry mom, it will work." said Kisasian.

"Alright…" said Zira, sighing. "Try it, son."

And then, Kisasian tried. He walked around in a relaxed way, and then he said with airy voice: "Oh… look! There's a huge worm crawling under that tree!"

Kisasian had told the magic words. Zazu woke up in less than a second and looked around like crazy, drooling and shouting: "Where! Where! Where! Where's the worm?"

But then, he noticed that all the cubs were laughing, covering their mouths with their paws to muffle the sound. Only Zira was standing with the dignity expected from a queen, but even she was chuckling inside with the idea of her son.

And then, Zazu realised everything. He thought: "I have been tricked by that naughty boy! He's just like Simba!"

When he thought about the previous prince, some sadness came to him, but he threw it away for another time, because he had a very important thing to tell.

Kisasian whispered to his mother. He said: "After lecturing and singing, the thing that he loves the most is to eat!"

Zira chuckled at Kisasian's comment, and also at her son's cleverness.

"He is such a naughty boy!" thought Zira, smiling, and stroking her son's head.

But then, she turned to Zazu with a more serious look, and asked: "What is the problem, Zazu? You were flying at such a big speed, it seems that you wanted to tell something important. Am I right?"

At that moment, Zazu turned to Zira, and said with the same panicked look that he had when he almost crashed into Kisasian: "My lady, there's a problem, a big problem! Where is the king?"

"I'm here." said Scar with calm voice.

He had just returned from his daily patrol, and had arrived early enough to listen Zazu telling to his mate that there was a big problem, and now he could try to solve it.

Zazu flew to Scar, and landed on his shoulder. Then, he began speaking, with a quite scared voice: "A rogue lion, sir. A rogue lion has entered the Pride Lands."

Scar seemed to get slightly aprehensive at Zazu's statement of the rogue lion entering the Pride Lands, but then he asked calmly: "Where is he? Is he heading towards here? Describe him to me, please."

"I don't know exactly, sir." said Zazu with a voice that had some hesitation. "He has pale fur… I don't know exactly which colour… and dark mane."

"I see…" said the king, thinking about Scar's words. "And… what was his health condition?"

"He seemed big and strong." said Zazu. "He was a little bit thin for his size, but, considering that he's a rogue…"

"You're right…" admitted Scar, but then he asked: "And why do you only say: it seemed, and that you couldn't be sure… why?"

"Because I didn't come too close of the rogue, my lord." replied the majordomo, shivering slightly as he spoke.

Scar could easily understand why. As a matter of fact, it was one thing that Zazu and Scar had in common. Their mothers had been killed by rogue lions. Thanks to that, both Scar and Zazu were extremely mistrustful about any strange lion that appeared. Generally, every settled lion was a bit mistrustful about rogues, but Scar was even more mistrustful than the others.

Anyway, he would have to think about any way to see who was the rogue, and it's intentions, without bloodshed. So, he asked: "Are you sure it was only one, Zazu? He may be a scout of a large pack."

A pack of rogues wasn't a too big worry for the Pridelanders, because the pride was strong, and with the help of a big hyena clan, it became even stronger. The pack would have to be stupidly big to have the most remote chance of winning. However, rogues were aggressive, and a fight with rogues could cost some lifes of pridemembers, and also of the rogues themselves. Scar's best option was to negotiate. And for that, he needed Zazu's informations.

The hornbill said: "I don't know, my lord. I've seen only one rogue. So it's possible that it is only one."

"Alright…" said Scar.

Then, he turned to Zira, and added: "Zira, let's see if the whole pride and all the hyenas are here. Then we'll have a meeting, and plan some strategy to find the rogue."

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Unaware to Scar, Zira, and Zazu, someone was already planning to find the rogue. However, the someone who was planning that had no idea of the implications of what finding the rogue meant.

When they had listened Zazu telling to Scar of a rogue lion being in the Pride Lands, all the cubs went away of the rulers and of the majordomo, and then they started discussing the subject.

"I wonder how it is the rogue lion." said Mheetu, who was the most scared of all the cubs.

"It can't be too different from the lions in this pride." said Nuru, thoughtfully.

"Nuru is right." said Kula, nodding in agreement. "Rogue lions can't be too different from the lions in our pride."

"That's where you're completely wrong, sis!" said Chumvi, almost interrupting Kula.

All the cubs instantly focused their attention on the dark-brown male cub, and Kisasian asked: "Could you explain better, Chumvi? I don't understand."

Chumvi cleared his throat, and, after making sure that all the cubs were paying attention to him, he explained: "Rogues are mean! They are brutes, and they don't respect anyone. They devour lion cubs and climb to the elephant's backs! Sure, there may be some good rogue lions… but those are just exceptions that complete the general rule."

"That is not like that!" said Nala, interrupting Chumvi.

All the cubs instantly looked on her, and Nala said: "Rogue lions are just like all the other lions in prides! There are some good, and some bad! I met one rogue lion when Simba was still alive, and he seemed nice!"

When she spoke about Simba, some sadness came to her, and she lowered her head with a sad face. The other cubs also got a little bit sad at recalling Simba, and even Chumvi gave to Nala her moment of recovering. After some time, she recovered from her temporary sadness. Chumvi used that moment to tease Nala again.

"Oh yeah?" asked Chumvi to Nala with an annoying look.

And then, before Nala could give a real answer, he gave her a mocking, and at the same time dangerous, suggestion: "If rogue lions are so alike the lions of our pride, why don't you go there, and meet one rogue lion? It may be the rogue lion that Zazu told us about? I dare you!"

"No!" shouted Mheetu. "Sis... don't! It's… too dangerous!"

Nala pondered a little bit about the dare that Chumvi had just given to her. It was dangerous, for sure, like Mheetu had told her. A lone cub going outside to find a rogue lion, potentially big, strong, and aggressive, wasn't for sure a clever idea. Nala's caution advised her to stay home.

But Nala wasn't always a cautious cub. And she also thought another thing: that if she dropped the dare, Chumvi and all the other cubs of the pride would think that she was a coward, that got scared even from the tiniest things.

And then, Chumvi just said the magic words: "Why don't you go and accept the dare? Are you a coward, or what?"

And, right on that moment, Nala said, with a shocked voice: "I'm not a coward! I'll go out there, find the rogue lion, speak with him, and then bring him here, even if I have to drag him by his whiskers!"

With those words, Nala turned her back on Chumvi and on the other cubs, and started walking away from Pride Rock without looking backwards.

"No, don't do it, Nala!" shouted Nuru, but Nala didn't listen to anyone's words, and just kept walking, disappearing in the distance shortly after.

"What will we do?" asked Mheetu. "My sister is going to get into trouble!"

The younger male turned to the dark-brown male cub, and shouted: "And that's your fault, Chumvi! If not for you, Nala wouldn't have accepted the dare."

Chumvi didn't reply, because deep inside he was actually worried with Nala. He was just teasing her, he never really expected for Nala to accept the dare. But now it was too late to do anything. Nala had accepted the dare, and now she could be in big trouble.

Kisasian tried to suggest that they would tell about it to Scar and Zira, or to Sarafina and Moyo, and Kula seemed to agree with the suggestion, but Nuru counterpointed it, saying: "Nala would be mad at us if we blabbed about where she is. I don't want to lose her friendship because of that."

They faced a dillema about what would be worst: if letting Nala to wander alone in the savannah, with a possibly mean rogue around, or if telling to her parents, and risking to lose Nala's friendship.

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Meanwhile, Nala had more important things to worry about. Or maybe better to say, things that kept her more worried than the idea of her friends telling something to her mother or father. She was walking in the savannah, completely alone, and the idea of a cub walking alone was rather dangerous, mainly when there is a rogue lion around.

"Why I had to accept the dare?" asked Nala in mind countless times. "If I hadn't I would be safe right now, for sure!"

But always that she said that in mind, she replied on the following moment: "And then you would be considered a coward! Only cowards drop dares! You can't be a coward! You were meant to be queen!"

The thoughts that only cowards drop dares kept Nala moving on and on, but honestly, she wasn't finding the rogue lion. She wasn't even finding any kind of life signal! All the animals of the savannah, from the smaller to the bigger, seemed to have just disappeared! Was it because of the rogue lion? Could rogue lions be in fact so scary like Chumvi had told?

But she had known a rogue lion. Bovu was a rogue, and he was a nice lion. At least, that was what it seemed, maybe it was just a first impression wrongly given.

However, Nala's thoughts were thrown away when she heard a sound. That sound was the grass rustling. Her ears flicked up, looking for any other kind of sound, and she sniffed the air, hoping to feel any kind of smell that would show her the direction of the danger. She was sweating with cold sweat, but she tried not to run away without knowing with more details the direction of the danger.

And then, she heard the slight sound of grass rustling behind her. She turned behind, and got very surprised when she noticed that there was nothing there, besides the grass. However, the grass was thick enough to allow to most of the creature, even adult male lions, to remain un-seen. She knew that males weren't as good at scouting and hiding as females, but even so they were good enough to remain un-noticed for some time, especially at the unexperienced eyes of an eleven months old cub.

But even Nala managed to notice the grass rustling in front of her. Nala stepped back, a little bit scared, and they she noticed something. It was a quail trying to fly out of the grass. He probably had gotten scared about something. But Nala got even more scared when she noticed that something grabbed the quail by the legs and pushed it down, chewing it and crushing the bones.

Without further waiting, Nala turned back and began running at full speed, and, much to her panic, the thing that was hiding in the grass began chasing her. Nala could hear the steps of the animal as she ran at full speed. Her best hope was to climb a tree, hoping that the animal wouldn't be able to climb the tree after her. If it was the rogue that was chasing her, he would just climb the tree after her and she would be lost. Anyway, she was on an open plain, where there was no tree for she to climb.

"Someone, help me!" shouted Nala in mind, not wasting the necessary breath to run away. "Someone help me!"

And then help finally came. Nala managed to notice a tree in the distance. Now, she would only have to reach it. She came close to a boulder, preparing herself to jump over it, or to run around it.

But, before she managed to do it, another animal appeared on the top of the boulder. It was a lion. And it wasn't any lion from her pride.

"It's the rogue!" thought Nala, terrified. "I'm doomed!"

It seemed true, because the lion was crouched, with bared teeth and full-extended claws, ready to pounce. Nala tried to run away, but she was so scared that she couldn't even move.

The stranger roared at Nala… and pounced on her direction, with outstretched paws.

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_Well... what do you think? Review, please!_


	34. Chapter 33: Seven scarred hyenas

_Well, here it is another chapter. Ni (male) is copyrighted to the authors of "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" series, but there are some important differences between that version of Ni, and my version. Mori (male) Anuka (female), and Rafu (male) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that is over, let's begin the chapter._

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**Chapter 33 – Seven scarred hyenas**

Nala got like paralysed when she saw the huge rogue lion pouncing on her. To the little female cub, it seemed that time had stopped, and that the was seeing the rogue pouncing on her in slow-motion, eventhough the predator was pouncing with unexpected speed, and wide-open mouth, seemingly ready to bite Nala with a crushing blow.

She had three options. One of them was to return into the high grass. Some time before, she had arrived to a clearing in the middle of the grass, where she was now, watching the rogue pouncing on her.

There she was easily seen. But, if she returned to the high grass behind her, the rogue wouldn't see her. But even then wasn't easy to consider to have a chance, because it should be quite easy for the lion to listen to her running in the grass.

Her second option was trying to remain un-noticed, after returning to the grass, but surely she would have been sniffed out by the rogue, and it would be an even worst solution, even considering that the rogue wouldn't easily see her in the high grass.

Her third option was to run towards the rogue, and try to intercept him and to confuse him somehow, and then run away. But it wouldn't be easy to pass by the rogue without being killed. Anyway, Nala's mind was too much divided between her three options, and she, while she wasn't choosing any, was also still.

If she wasn't so scared, she would have listened that the sound of some big animal running in the high grass was still being listened, and so, it wasn't the rogue the one who had been chasing her. However, before Nala could make any move, the lion was already in the air.

The cub tried to close her eyes, but her eyelids seemed to not to obey her, and she just stared at the pouncing lion, who seemed in an attack mood.

However, it also seemed that it wasn't in the mood of attacking Nala, because, much to Nala's surprise, the lion pounced over her and landed right behind her. Nala turned back right on the time to see the landing rogue, and noticed what had atracted the lion's attention. It was a hyena, and Nala assumed that the hyena had been chasing her, and also that the hyena had eaten the quail, because her lips were blooded and some feathers were mixed with the blood on her mouth. And it also didn't take much time for Nala to know who the hyena was.

It was Ramuka, who was right now on the edge of the small clearing, being attacked by the aggressive rogue. Nala watched with fear, thinking that this would be her best chance to escape, but for some reason her paws didn't seem to obey her brain.

She noticed the rogue lion landing right in front of Ramuka, whose expression had turned of hateful and hungry to terrified, and gave her a blow on her nape with his right paw. The hyena fell unconscious on the clearing right after that, and the rogue pushed her body into the middle of the high grass. Like Nala didn't hear any bone-cracking sound, she could assume that the hyena wasn't dead, but only knocked out.

It seemed that the rogue also assumed that, because, right after, he turned to Nala, and pushed her firmly (yet carefully), with his front left paw, shouting: "RUN!"

This time, Nala's body seemed to obey her, and she didn't waste any time in following the suggestion of her rescuer, who had just disappeared in the high grass. Nala followed the rogue, leaving the clearing, and now she had understood the idea of the lion. By pushing the hyena into the grass, she wouldn't be able to see where they were running away, in case she woke up suddenly. Nala followed the rogue as fast as she could, right into the tree to where she had been running to escape from Ramuka's jaws.

The lion climbed the tree, and Nala followed him shortly after. They stopped on the lowest branch (yet far too high for Ramuka or any hyena to reach it), and the lion lied down on the branch calmly. Nala sat in front of him, and, for the first time, she could take a real look on the rogue, while she recovered her breath.

The lion had tawny-golden fur; however it was a little bit hard to distinguish the real colour of the rogue, because he was quite dirty. He had a dark-brown mane, but it wasn't yet a real mane. His mane had barely begun growing. She noticed that the lion's mane covered the top of his neck, already covering a little bit his forehead, and then going through all the neck, but barely reaching his shoulders. And, on the inferior part of his neck, the lion had another line of dark-brown mane, that didn't reach the full length of his neck. In the rest of his neck, the mane was still to grow. The eyes of the rogue were light-gray, and Nala thought that the lion seemed friendly; however she hadn't enough breath to speak. When, she recovered the first thing that she said was:

"Thank you." said the cub, smiling slightly at the lion.

"You're welcome, little one." said the rogue, smiling back.

Nala noticed that the voice of the lion was still half-cubbish, which meant that he was younger than she had expected. She estimated the lion's age to be around two and a half years. However, he was unusually big for such a young lion. He was already as big as some of the biggest lionesses of her pride, and when he became full-grown he would probably be as big as Mufasa.

For some time, they remained silent, until Nala began speaking again: "I thought that you were going to kill me. But instead you saved me."

The lion seemed slightly shocked at what Nala told, but then he replied, in calm voice: "I don't attack other lions, unless they attack me first. And especially I don't attack lost cubs, like you are."

"I'm not lost!" shouted Nala, and this time she was even more shocked than the rogue was when she told him her thoughts.

"Then you shouldn't wander in the plain all alone." replied the lion. After he asked, with an inquisitive look: "What were you doing, exactly?"

"Oh…" said Nala, feeling ashamed of the dare for the first time. "It was… sort of a dare…"

"A dare?" asked the rogue, more and more intrigued. "And what was the dare, exactly? And why did you accept it?"

Nala was getting sick of the lion's questions about the dare, so she just said: "My name is Nala. And you, what's your name?"

"My name is Ni." replied the rogue.

"Nice to meet you, Ni." said Nala.

Ni nodded, and then Nala asked: "But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your pride?"

At that moment, Ni let out a sigh of sadness, and said: "In theory, I should, but I guess that in practical matters, I'm not."

"Aren't you a little bit young to be kicked out of your pride?" asked Nala, confused.

As far as she knew, lions were sometimes kicked out of their prides, or simply left by their free will, when they were three years old, but Ni, seeming to have only two years and a half old, was too young for any of those two things.

Ni sighed of sadness again, and then, he said: "As a matter of fact, I should be. My king should have waited at least for five months more before he would kick me out. But my story is rather complicated, and sad… you wouldn't want to hear it."

"Try me." said Nala honestly. "I've been through some hard times recently as well."

Rather than answering, Ni just got up, and looked down. When Nala asked him what he was doing, he gave as an excuse (or maybe he said it honestly) that he was seeing if Ramuka was following them. Then, he lied down again, and sighed deeply. Nala gave him some moments of silence, before asking: "Will you tell me your story, or not?"

Ni raised his head, and looked at Nala with a somewhat angry look, very simmilar to the one that he had when he pounced on Ramuka. And Nala remembered that the rogue, even after saving her, was a stranger. Ni said: "You wouldn't be able to stand it. It's rather dark… even I barely stand it…"

"Maybe you just need to talk to someone." said Nala, gently placing her paw on Ni's muzzle.

Ni seemed surprised, like if he had never been touched in a friendly way, but Nala said: "Sometimes, talking may be a big help. Believe me."

Ni sighed again, but he said: "Alright… I will tell you… but you must promise me one thing. You must promise that it will be a secret between us both. And you must promise that, if you start disliking it too much, you will tell me, and I will stop. I won't get angry."

"Alright." said Nala. "I promise all of that. And I keep my word."

The rogue looked around several times, like if he was seeing if the place was really empty and no one would eavesdrop their talk, and then he finally decided to tell the story of his life to Nala, in a resumed version.

"My father was the leader of a pack of rogue lions, and his name was Rafu." began Ni. "He and his three friends arrived to my homeland in some especially hard times, ready to take it over. As far as I think now, they decided to wait for some days, scouting the land, looking for life-signals, before taking it over. But, one day, my father, when he was hunting alone, met a lioness. That lioness was my mother, and her name was Anuka. She was a member of the pride that he wanted to take over."

"And so?" asked Nala, wanting to know more.

Ni had told her that his story was a sad story, but, 'till that moment, it wasn't seeming too sad, it was even seeming a love story.

"And so…" said Ni, sighing again before keeping. "My parents became lovers, and mated… but the king of that land, Mori, was very strict about the mating of his lionesses. My mother hoped that she and my father would leave the pride and start their own, but he replied that he still had some duties to his friends, and my mother accepted that."

"What happened next?" asked Nala, confused.

Ni inhaled deeply, and said: "I don't know everything, but as far as I know, my father and my mother went to speak with King Mori, to see if he could help my father's pack. However, during the talking, my father's pack appeared, and claimed that their leader had betrayed them, and that they would conquer the pride for them. It was rather suicide, but the main thing is that, during the whole mess, all the rogues, including my father, were killed."

Nala gasped from amazed, and wanted to ask something, but Ni interrupted her waving his paw, and said: "However, some lifes of the pride were also claimed. Mori's mate died during the battle. Almost all the pride said that the tragedy happened because my mother mated with a rogue without her king's permission, and Mori was ready to banish, or even kill, my mother. But, because she begged for mercy, and some lionesses stood for her, Mori agreed in letting her stay. Then it happened that my mother was pregnant. With me."

Now Nala knew one thing for sure: the story was sad. It should have been hard for his mother. She never knew that so many complications could come of a simple love story.

"Mori allowed my mother to stay, and I was born, but both my mother and I… mainly I… were outcasts. All the cubs chased me away, their mothers also chased me away, and many times they also fought my mother. Well, because of that thing, I spent most of the time with my mother, learning how to hunt. I became as good as I managed to, but, about a month ago, my mother died, and Mori used the chance to banish me."

For some moments, Nala didn't speak, and the only sound around was the leaves of the tree rustling with the wind. And then, Nala said: "I… I feel very sorry for you, your mother, and your father. If that is of some help to you, that is."

Ni raised his head, and sighed again. Then, he turned to Nala, and said: "Nala… you are being more helpful than you could imagine. Besides you, only my mother has shown simpathy towards me. Thank you."

Ni hugged Nala, and then he said thoughtfully: "You know… you rather look like my mother."

"Oh yeah?" asked Nala, intrigued.

"Yeah." said Ni. "Only my mother's fur is a little bit darker than yours, and her eyes were light-gray, like mine."

And then, Nala had an idea that maybe would cheer up Ni. She said, smiling at him: "Hey, why don't you come and meet my pride? You saved me, they'll treat you like a hero for sure."

"I don't know." said Ni. "I don't really know if I'll be treated like a hero. I'm just a rogue."

"But you saved my life!" insisted Nala. "I'm sure that they'll thank you. You can meet my friends. They're nice. It's just a shame that…"

""That" what?" asked the rogue.

"…that you can't meet my best friend Simba." said Nala, sobbing. "He died three months ago."

Nala released some tears, but Ni wiped them off gently with his paw, and said: "Don't cry, Nala. I wish I could say that I know what you're feeling… but I never had much of friends, or a family… so… I guess simpathy is all I can really give you."

And then, he said: "And, if that's so important to you, I will go with you and meet your pride."

"Really?" asked Nala, almost jumping of joy.

"Yes." said Ni, chuckling. "Now, go down."

And so, both Ni and Nala went down the tree, walking back to Pride Rock.

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Some time later, the rogue and the cub were making their way through the savannah, walking to Nala's home. Nala was extremely excited with the idea of Ni visiting her pride. As a matter of fact, she had a secret hope of keeping him, so that he could be her and Mheetu's big brother. It was undoubtable that Ni seemed a little bit interested in meeting her friends and family, however Nala wished that he was more interested, and she tried to give him some interest more. She said: "You'll love it! If you stay just 'till tomorrow, my friends and I can show you a lot of interesting games…"

But suddenly, the rogue's posture changed completely. On one moment, he was being friendly and relaxed. On the following moment, he became very nervous, with tensed muscles.

"Quiet!" said Ni, touching Nala's chin with his tail, and with his ears flicked up to notice any kind of sound.

"What is it?" whispered Nala, so low that Ni could barely hear.

"I heard something…" said Ni. "The grass rustling… like if someone is sneaking us..."

Nala looked around, trying to see any kind of creature in the grass, but she wasn't seeing it at all. Ni turned to the big rock, where they had just passed by, and said: "Let's go there. We can't risk the someone attacking us by behind."

The cub nodded, and followed Ni to the rock. But, right on that moment, two large hyenas jumped from behind it, blocking their way. Nala recognized them as Dhara and Vyero, two of the hyenas of Ramuka's group. And, right on that moment, the whole group of hyenas appeared from behind the rock.

The seven hyenas had formed a circle around Ni and Nala. They couldn't run away, and the only hope that they could have was to fight. A fight that couldn't be won.

"Ni can't save me now!" thought Nala, terrified. "He is big and strong for his age, but yet too small to fight seven hyenas! We'll be eaten."

Ramuka advanced towards Ni, with an evil smile. She said: "Well, well… this here is the lion that knocked me out! Deal with him! But attention, no one touches the cub! She's mine!"

Ni stood bravely, prepared to fight a battle that he had no chance of winning. But he had to. If not, he and Nala would die. However, it wasn't necessary for Ni to fight, because, right on that moment, both heard two loud roars.

They turned their heads aside, and noticed Sarafina and Moyo, running on their direction with a menacing look. Ramuka snarled at them, but Ni used that moment of distraction from the hyenas to break the circle that they were forming around him and Nala. He grabbed both Vyero and Dhara in a single grasp, and they were so surprised that they didn't even try to release themselves. The cub used that moment to run away, and she hid behind her father's paw. He and her mother had stopped for some time.

Ni dropped the two hyenas, and joined to Sarafina and Moyo. Nala's parents and the rogue opened their mouths at the same time, and all roared at the same time. Their roars were so synchronized that they looked a single, and extremely loud, roar.

The seven hyenas ran away, terrified, and even Ramuka didn't stay behind to throw an insult at the lions.

Nala came to Sarafina, who started licking her face.

"Are you alright?" asked Sarafina, worried.

"Yes, mom." said Nala, much more relieved. "I'm alright."

But then she turned to her father, who was seemingly much angrier than her mother. Nala gulped. Her father always seemed big, however he seemed bigger for sure when angry.

"Kula warned us." said the golden-maned lion. "It seems that she uses her head for more than to eat. Unlike you!"

And then, the lion spoke louder."We told you for not to come out with Ramuka and her group around here! Why don't you ever do as you're ordered? Haven't you thought about how your mother and I would feel if we lost you?"

On that moment, the lion hugged his daughter, and licked her face. And then, they heard a voice answering to Moyo's first question.

"It was a dare, Mr." said Ni, who had been silent, and, truth be told, almost forgotten by the family.

"A dare?" asked Moyo, confused, looking carefully at Ni for the first time. "And by the way, who are you?"

"My name is Ni." said the rogue.

On that moment, Nala said: "He saved me, dad! He stopped Ramuka from killing me, and he was very nice to me."

"Thank you, Ni." said Sarafina, bowing slightly.

"Yes, thank you." repeated Moyo, bowing his head a little bit as well.

"My pleasure." said Ni. "But… by the way, how did you know of those hyenas wandering here? Are they… an usual presence?"

"More than you can imagine." replied Nala, sighing. "Since Simba's death, it has been always like this."

"Well…" said Ni. "Maybe you'll introduce me to your pride first, and then you'll explain me the whole matters. If your parents agree, that is."

Sarafina nodded, and Moyo said, after thinking a little bit: "Well, like you saved our daughter, I think that it won't hurt."

And so, the four kept their way to Pride Rock.

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"Sir!" shouted Zazu, flying inside the cave, and landing right on Scar's shoulder. "The rogue is heading towards here! Sarafina, Moyo, and Nala are with him!"

"What?" asked Scar, surprised. "What may be their relations with the rogue? Oh, well, let's just go and meet him."

And so, Scar and Zira left Pride Rock, and walked towards Ni and the family.

"Those two are our king and queen." said Nala. "The lion is Scar, and the queen is Zira."

The royal couple walked to the rogue, and Ni bowed at them. Scar and Zira seemed surprised.

"Who are you?" asked Scar.

"My name is Ni, sir." said Ni.

"And… what is your business here, Ni?" asked Zira.

"Wandering." said Ni, in a somewhat relaxed voice. "You know… young males… kicking them out of the pride… that stuff."

"Aren't you a little bit young for that?" inquired Scar carefully.

"Maybe…" said Ni.

And then, he added to Scar: "By the way, you should try to have some more control on the hyenas that wander in your land. There were seven of them trying to eat this girl."

He wasn't speaking with too much official respect, and Scar and Zira noticed that, however they were more worried with the detail of Ni speaking about seven hyenas.

"Who were they?" asked Scar to Moyo and Sarafina, although he already had a big suspect about the answer.

"I seem to remember that one of them was named Ramuka, sir." said Ni, antecipating Moyo's answer.

Moyo and Sarafina nodded, confirming it, and Scar decided that he wouldn't need any more confirming than that. If one of them was Ramuka, the other six were probably her small group. Scar thought a little bit, and then he said: "Alright. We shall see about that. Sarafina and Moyo, please get Leo and Fani here. I want you to find Ramuka and her group and bring them here, please."

Sarafina and Moyo nodded, and they went to Pride Rock, leaving their daughter, the royal couple, and Ni, behind them. Zira said: "Ni… if you want to stay for some time, you are welcome."

She looked at Scar, who nodded.

"Thank you, sir." said the rogue, bowing. "But I think that I'll leave tonight. Thank you for the invitation."

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About an hour later, Sarafina, Moyo, Leo, and Fani returned bringing Ramuka and her small group with them. Scar and Zira were waiting for them, and the judgement of the hyenas would be made in front of both the whole pride and the whole clan. The lionesses who had cubs left them under Ni's protection. Even if they didn't know the rogue for some time, he seemed trustworthy, at least according to what Nala had told them, and they trusted Nala.

Ramuka and her group were in the middle of the pride and the clan, and Scar was looking at them with a menacing look. All the clan, and even some members of the pride, seemed to fear what would happen next.

The king began speaking: "As you all probably remember very well, I told you what would happen if you hyenas didn't follow the rule about not harming the pride."

All the hyenas nodded, and Ramuka and her group were quivering with fear. Scar kept speaking: "And, as I know today, you seven tried to kill Nala, right?"

"Wrong!" shouted Ramuka.

Both the pride and the clan were wordless at Ramuka's sentence, and then, she said: "Your only confirmation of that are the words of the rogue and the words of Nala, Sarafina, and Moyo! And you know that they want us out of here!"

"In fact, the whole pride, and even your whole clan, wants you seven out of here!" thought Scar.

But, before he could speak, a random hyena from the clan said: "Yeah! What kind of a king are you, if you sentence your subjects even without having any proof of what they've done? You're an unfair and unmerciful king. You…"

"SILENCE!" roared Scar, and all the hyenas stayed like paralysed.

He walked towards the hyena that had spoken, and said: "You dare to call me unfair and unmerciful, after you have killed my father and an innocent lioness, and when, even I after that, I had pity for you and kindly invited your clan to live here? What I had full right to do now is to allow the whole pride to KILL YOU!"

The hyenas stepped back like if the sentence had hit them. Scar returned to Ramuka, and said: "And, even if the part about Nala is not truth, what I doubt very much, you've tried to eat Zazu, and, even worst, you tried to kill my son!"

Ramuka gulped in fear. Scar said: "However, because they are both still alive… I will be merciful. I will mark you, and pass you definitive exile only."

"Only?" asked Ramuka sarcastically.

Scar didn't answer. He just swiped his paw at Ramuka, leaving a scar over her left eye just like his own. He did the same to Dhara, Vyero, and all the hyenas of Ramuka's small group. And then, he said: "If these hyenas ever try to return to the Pride Lands, any member of the pride is allowed to kill them."

Mega and Jani looked at the hyenas like if they wanted to kill them on the spot, but they repressed themselves. Scar said: "Moyo, Leo, Fani, and Sarafina, escort them to the western border."

The two lion couples left with the seven hyenas on the middle of them, and then, Scar said: "This audience is over. You all may return to your duties, or, if you don't have any for now, return to what you were doing before."

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About an hour later, the four lions and lionesses returned, informing that the seven hyenas were out of the Pride Lands. Most of the pride was relieved by hearing that Ramuka and her group were out of the way, and the cubs even jumped of joy.

They had been playing with Ni, and they had much fun, because Ni was patient with them, and he liked their games. However, the fun of the cubs was nothing compared to Ni's fun. He never had cubs to play with, because the original cubs of his own pride were always driving him away, and didn't want to have anything to do with him. However, the cubs of this pride were kind to him, and showed him many ways of having fun, that Ni gladly followed.

Nala, Nuru and Mheetu in fact wanted to have him as an older brother, because they were the cubs who liked the rogue the most. However, much to the sadness of those three cubs, Ni said that he would leave the Pride Lands at the sunset. Nala felt very sad, but she didn't try to stop him. However, she tried to convince him to go to the top of Pride Rock before leaving. Ni accepted.

"It's a pity that you can't stay." said Nala, when they were watching the Pride Lands.

"Look, Nala." said Ni sadly. "I would also like to stay, but I can't. I don't think I would fit in a pride for now. But who knows, maybe I will return some years from now."

"Will you?" asked Nala, hopefully. "Promise Ni! Promise that you will return!"

"I can't promise that." said Ni, sighing. "But I promise that I will do everything that I'm able to do to return. Is that alright for now?"

Nala hesitated a little bit before answering, but, after some time, she said: "It's better than nothing. Thank you, Ni."

"Goodbye, Nala." said Ni, nuzzling her. "And good luck."

With those words, Ni went down Pride Rock, and disappeared in the savannah. Tojo, Mheetu, Nuru, Kilia, Kula, and Chumvi joined Nala, watching him leaving. For some moments, nobody told anything, until Chumvi said: "Uh… Nala… I'm… I'm sorry. For daring you. I was… really worried when you left. Ramuka and her group could… well, you know that."

"It's alright, Chumvi." said Nala, and Chumvi sighed with clear relief. "And besides, if not for your dare, I wouldn't have known Ni."

"You know…" said Kula, giggling. "If Ni just cleaned himself, he would even be cute…"

Tojo seemed a little bit bored at Kula's comment, and probably the brown cub understood that, because she said on the following moment: "Of course, not as cute as you."

Tojo blushed, but Kilia got slightly angry at that, and said: "Kula! I already told you what…"

But, before they could keep their arguing, Mheetu said, with a somewhat decisive voice: "If you want to argue, do it down there, OK?"

The two cubs were seemingly prepared to shout at Mheetu, but because they saw that the others were supporting him with their looks, they just began going down, yet Kula and Kilia's arguing was heard for a long time after they went away.

"Why when a problem goes away, it always comes another one to replace it?" asked Nuru, covering her ears.

"I don't know, Nuru." said Tojo. "Maybe it is just part of the Circle of Life."

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_Well... I know that this has some differences. I know that in the original book Ni was too small for his age, and the buff coloured hyena was a male, but this is a fanfic. It is supposed to have some original parts, right? Whatever, please review!_


	35. Chapter 34: The haunting cub

_Well, here it is a new chapter. For those who do not know, Shani was the name for Simba's sister in early production of The Lion King, but Shani never made it to the film. However, because I think it would be interesting to see Simba's sister, I used her in this fanfic. And I would like the opinion of you readers about that. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 34 – The haunting cub**

Two weeks had passed since the day when Ramuka and her small pack were banished from the Pride Lands, and during that time no trouble had yet appeared. Scar and Zira were successfully keeping the hyenas under control, and, mainly because of the example given by Ramuka and the others, they hadn't yet interrupted the hunts of the pride, eventhough the lions and lionesses weren't still completely used to the presence of the clan on Pride Rock.

Unconsciously to Scar and Zira, the pride was training in secret, and also training the cubs, in ways of fighting hyenas. They didn't have too much time for that, but they used whatever the free time that they had, and the training was giving some profits. Sarabi directed the training in her best way, eventhough she was hevily pregnant.

Surprisingly enough, even Sakia and Uzuri had agreed in participating on the training program, probably because Sarabi was careful enough to tell them that the training was against an eventual hyena mutiny, because hyenas aren't as stupid as they appear to be. They may be laughing crazily while making evil plans of the size of a baobab tree. Both, mainly Sakia, insisted that Scar and Zira would keep them under control, but eventually they agreed with Sarabi, who said "Caution is never too much".

Because Tojo was having a special training with Rafiki, and the other cubs were doing also training with the pride, Kisasian was completely alone for most of the time, because his parents had their duties in the pride, and the other cubs weren't playing with him. Kisasian didn't know that, but the lionesses had told the cubs that Kisasian was dangerous (again because of his scar) and they couldn't play with him. Tojo was the only cub to ignore it, but he wasn't around for most of the time, so Kisasian was a rather lonely prince.

Eventually, three months and a half after Mufasa's death, it came one moment, the moment that Sarabi and the pride were awaiting anxiously, but that Scar and Zira were regretting heavily. It was the moment of the birth of Sarabi's second cub, and the end of Sarabi's pregnancy that lasted more than four months. All the pride was there. Leo and Moyo were taking care of the cubs outside, and even Tojo had stayed there, free of Rafiki's training for one day. However, there was also someone who feared that moment.

The someone fearing that moment was Mega. He had a feeling that Sarabi would have problems with the birth of her second cub, and that the happiness could turn out in tragedy. He tried to speak about that to Scar, as carefully as he could. He went to the king and queen, who were also outside the cave.

"Uh… Scar?" asked Mega, trying to sound respectful.

"Yes, Mega?" asked Scar with tensed voice.

Mega couldn't guess, but that was being a very hard moment for Scar.

"Why it has to turn out like that?" thought the king. "I killed Mufasa, I killed Simba, I am king, but Mufasa, before dying, had to leave Sarabi pregnant with a second cub that would haunt me! Why?"

However, he tried to shake away those thoughts when he spoke with the lion. Mega spoke, with a little bit nervous voice: "Uh… Scar… I have a feeling… that something may turn out wrong with the birth of Sarabi's second cub."

"What do you mean?" asked Scar.

He spoke with genuine worried voice, but he was also a little bit curious about what could be Mega's feeling about that. He soon had his answer.

"I think that the birth might be hard." said Mega, with worried voice. He added next: "And when I mean hard I mean too hard for both mother and cub to make it through. So, I want to ask you if I may call Rafiki for him to help Sarabi."

For the next seconds, Scar didn't answer, too busy with his thoughts.

"Why it had to be?" thought Scar. "I deposed Mufasa according with the Law of Challenge, I am the rightful king, and now the new cub can't be a threat to my throne. But, as long as she can't threaten my throne, she can haunt me as another living monument in my failure on my relationship with Sarabi, and, what's even worst, of what I did to Mufasa and Simba!"

Anyway, Scar turned to Mega, and asked, with the calmer voice that he could express: "And… why are you afraid of that, Mega?"

Mega sighed deeply, and then said: "Because of what happened in the past. You and Uru nearly died during your birth. Zira nearly died during Kisasian's birth. And now…"

"I see…" said Scar, very slowly.

The king thought for some seconds, and then he said: "Alright, Mega. You may go and call Rafiki."

"Thank you, sir." said Mega, bowing.

After that, he left Pride Rock. Zira, who had always been at Scar's side, asked: "What should we think of it?"

"That Mega knows way more than he wishes to tell us." replied Scar shortly.

"You heard him too many times." said the queen. "He told that your father made him to promise that he would never tell about their lives before they joined this pride… and Mega keeps his promises."

While running to Rafiki's tree, Mega was just thinking what troubles could have been avoided if he had broken his promise to Ahadi, if he had told the pride of their past life, and mainly, he was hoping that his idea of calling Rafiki wasn't necessary, and that Sarabi's cub would be born without any problem.

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Unfortunately, Mega's intuition and memories were right. The birth of Sarabi's second cub was being unusually hard, for sure way harder than Simba's birth. She tried to push with all her might, but eventhough, her cub wasn't coming out. The other lionesses, mainly Penda and Sabini, tried to support the former queen with all their might, but speaking honestly they weren't able to do anything, except giving her moral support.

"It's… hurting… me…" panted Sarabi, trying to push the cub once again without success.

"Calm down, my dear." said Penda, hugging her daughter. "Just…"

"You should rest a little bit." said one new voice.

All the lionesses turned their heads, and saw that it was Zira the one who had spoken. Almost instantly, most of the lionesses formed a circle around Sarabi, as if they feared that Zira would attack her. But she just said, seemingly undisturbable with the attitude of her subjects: "Mega went to call Rafiki, and he shall bring one of his fruits. You should save your strenght."

"And how do you know that?" hissed Sarafina, staring at Zira with a menacing look.

Zira was about to speak, when Uzuri spoke for her, with a somewhat angry voice: "In case you don't remember, she also had a cub! And no one of you was here to help her! No one of you was here to see the problems that she had! You should have some more respect for her!"

"I can speak by myself, thank you, Uzuri." said Zira, but inside she felt relieved that her adoptive mother was standing for her.

However, the discussion didn't go further, because, right on that moment, Mega entered the cave, with Rafiki on his back. The mandrill jumped off the lion, and ran to Sarabi, with one of the fruits that he had given to Zira in his hands. He went to Sarabi, and Zira said: "First, you have bite the fruit, then, you push with all your strenght when Rafiki tells you. Right, Rafiki?"

"Yes, my lady." said the wiseape, before extending the fruit to Sarabi.

Understanding what it was expected from her, Sarabi bit the fruit, chewed, and swallowed it. She felt her strenght regained, and shortly after Rafiki, who had placed himself behind Sarabi, shouted: "Now! Push!"

Sarabi pushed with all her strenght, and then, she sighed from relief. She had finally managed to release the cub. She fell on the ground, panting.

"I… did… it…" whispered Sarabi, still panting. "I… did… it…"

When she recovered her breath, she turned to Rafiki, who was holding her cub in his arms, (because Rafiki had his back turned to her, she couldn't see the cub) and asked: "Rafiki, is my cub a boy or a girl?"

Rafiki turned to her, still holding the cub, but Sarabi didn't look very carefully at the newborn, focusing on the monkey's face.

"It's a girl…" said Rafiki, with unexpectedly sad voice. "But…"

"But?" thought Sarabi, confused. "This is not good…"

She looked better at the monkey's face, and noticed something unusual. He was sad… unexpectedly sad. She knew that, whatever it was to come, wasn't good. All the pride was focused on the wiseape, almost as worried as Sarabi. Moyo and Leo had just came in with the other cubs, and now they were also listening anxiously.

Sarabi was afraid of making any further questions, because of the answer that she would get, however, she knew that the question had to be done.

"Rafiki…" asked Sarabi, fearfully. "My cub is alright… right?..."

Rafiki sighed deeply, and then, he said very hesitantly, with his voice full of grief and sadness: "No, Sarabi. I'm sorry, but… the cub didn't survive the birth… I'm very sorry…"

All the pride gasped from amaze, and also of sadness. Sarabi's jaw dropped of surprise, and then, she buried her face in her front paws, crying like mad.

"No…" sobbed Sarabi. "No… it can't be… my cub… Mufasa's cub… dead…"

At the entrance of the cave, Mega sighed deeply, and bowed his head.

"I had a feeling that this would happen. Well… at least Sarabi has survived… but what will be her reason of living, after her cub having died? At least there is no mate and son here to hate her cub for having killed Sarabi."

All the members of the pride had their heads bowed, even Scar and Zira. Some of the lionesses were crying, but the only sounds heard on the cave were the loud sobs of Sarabi. Penda and Sarabi were trying to confort her, but it without success.

On that moment, by pure casuality, Mega lifted his head, and looked at the cub, who was still in Rafiki's arms. And he noticed something. The cub had moved! Yet very weakly, but she had moved.

"THE CUB IS ALIVE!" shouted Mega, and all the pride instantly turned to the cub. Sarabi raised her head to the cub at an amazing speed, right on time to see the cub moving her paw, this time more strongly and firmly. Then, the cub squealed.

Rafiki placed her on Sarabi's paws, and said: "With your respect, I shall leave now."

And so, Rafiki left the cave, returning to the Tree of Life. Now that he was gone, Sarabi decided to look better to her newborn cub before cleaning her It was a girl, so Sarabi would name her Shani, like she had planned. Shani had Mufasa's golden fur, and rather resembled a miniature Uru, althought her face was more like Sarabi's face. Because she still had her eyes half-closed, Sarabi couldn't see very well the colour of the eyes of her newborn daughter, however they seemed violet.

"My father also had violet eyes." thought Sarabi, smiling.

The most unusual thing that Sarabi noticed with her newborn daughter was that she was unusually big for a newborn cub, especially female. Shani seemed a little bit bigger than Simba when he was newborn. She also seemed significantly less helpless than newborn cubs usually are. During the first seconds, she seemed dead, but now, she crawled out of her mother's paws, in an attempt to get to Sarabi's milk.

Sarabi chuckled, and at first, she tried to help, but in the end, the former queen decided to allow her daughter to make all the way, just to see if she would make it. And she made it. She got there very tired, but without stopping during the way.

Sarabi sighed deeply, still very tired, because of the hard birth.

"Congratulations, Sarabi." said Sabini. "And by the way, your new daughter is very cute."

"Thanks, sis." said Sarabi.

On that moment, the two sisters turned back, hearing a sound. Scar was approaching, with a piece of meat that had spared from the previous meal. Sabini and Sarafina instantly stepped in between the king and the former queen, like if they feared that the lion would attack Sarabi (probably because of the furious stare that he had), but Scar simply dropped the meat in front of Sarabi, and said: "You should eat, to regain your strenght. You're very tired."

"Thank you." replied Sarabi with hollow voice.

And she started eating the meat. But then, she heard Scar's voice: "You better protect well your new cub. It's a dangerous world… accidents happen."

The king's words scared Sarabi almost to death.

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On that night, both the pride and the clan were sleeping peacefully, without anything to disturb their sleep, for the first time since Mufasa's death. Of course, there existed exceptions, like always.

Scar was sitting on the top of Pride Rock, looking at the stars, and mainly to the one that he believed to be Mufasa's star.

"So, before leaving, you had to leave here a new cub of yours to make sure that she would haunt me, right, Mufasa?" thought Scar, baring his teeth at the star, like if Mufasa could see him. "Don't you think that it is haunting enough for me, to live with the guilt of killing you and Simba?"

Then, Scar heard someone coming close to him. Even without turning back, he could almost guess who was the someone.

"Scar…" said Zira, coming close to her mate. "You should come. You've spent so much nights without sleeping lately. I'm worried about you."

"In case you don't remember, each night that I've spent without sleeping, you've spent without sleeping as well." said Scar. "That's because you want it. By the way, where's Kisasian?"

"I left him with Uzuri." said Zira.

"For a change." replied Scar sarcastically. "Now, my love, what do you want."

"Like I said before…" began Zira again. "… I'm worried about you. If you had seen the way how you looked at Shani… I understand you, really, but now there is one important question about that: what will you do?"

"What do you mean?" asked Scar.

In fact, he had a good guess about what his mate meant by that question, but he needed to confirm it. Zira began speaking, very hesitantly: "Will you… do… to Shani… what… you've done… to Simba?..."

When she saw the look that her mate gave to her, she gulped, and instantly regretted what she had told. But Scar replied, in a somewhat calm voice: "No, Zira. I won't do anything about Shani. But I'll tell you honestly: if some accident happens to her, I won't regret it."

Zira was rather indifferent at Scar's sentence, but then, she added, in a more worried voice: "Scar, there is also another problem."

"What is it, my dear?" asked Scar.

"It's about… Kisasian…" said the queen, hesitantly.

"What happened?" asked Scar, suddenly deeply worried. "Is he alright?"

"Yes… and no…" said Zira.

"What do you mean?" asked the king, confused.

"Look at him." said Zira. "He was never very much accepted by the cubs of the pride, except by Tojo, but now, since the time when he has the scar, they seem to run away from him, like if he had a curse! And it's all my fault!"

With those words, Zira collapsed and began crying.

"Zira, it's not your fault." said Scar, hugging her and licking her face, wiping off her tears. "It's not your fault."

"And there's also another thing…" said Zira worriedly. "We still haven't told him that he will not be the next king…"

With those words, Scar sighed of sadness. It was true. They hadn't told yet to their son that he wouldn't be king, even being the first born. Scar sighed, and said: "Zira… about that… I will speak with him tomorrow. I'm not sure about how he will react… but I'll try not to be too stern or too harsh for him. It will be hard, I know that… but it has to be done… I know he should be the heir, but…"

"It's your decision." said Zira. "You're the king, and I trust you…"

With those words, Scar and Zira went down Pride Rock, and returned to their sleeping place, each one of them having an untranquile night.

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On the next morning, nothing too different happened that would distinguish it from the previous days. The pride woke up, the hunting team departed, led by Zira, eventhough Sarabi stayed behind to take care of her newborn daughter, and, this time, Scar also stayed behind.

He went to his son, who, since Simba's death, was always sitting on the edge of Pride Rock when Tojo was misteriously absent, and said: "Uh… son…"

"Dad!" said Kisasian happily. "Will we play, like we did before?"

"No, son." said Scar sternly. "I have to talk to you, about a very important business."

"Oh… what is it?" asked Kisasian, without suspecting of anything.

Scar sat down, sighed deeply, and said: "Uh… Kisasian… you do know that I am king, and your mother is queen now, right?"

"Right." said Kisasian, with a boring voice. "And I hate that. Now you have no time for me!"

"This will be hard…" thought Scar. "But the longest time that he has an illusion, the more he will suffer when I tell him the truth."

Scar sighed deeply, and then he said: "Uh… Kisasian… I don't know if you ever thought of that, but… now, you are a prince."

"Yes…" admitted Kisasian, in a voice that showed that he hadn't been paying attention. "And…"

And then, he remembered that, if he was a prince, as the oldest son of the king, he would be king. He had to ask about that to his father. So, he asked: "I will be king?"

The cub's voice seemed divided, like if he partially wanted to be king, but on the other hand he thought about that as very difficult. But then, his father spoke again: "No, son. You won't be king after me."

Scar's words made Kisasian to feel a little bit sad, and also a little bit curious. He wouldn't be king? Why not? The prince decided to expose that question: "W… why, dad?"

Scar sighed deeply, and then he said, with his voice about to break: "You're not a bad lion… but… I don't think you have what is necessary to be a good ruler…"

Those words made Kisasian to feel like if his world had broken down. The pride had ignored him and rejected him, they almost chased him away, and now his father was telling him that he wasn't good enough to be king! He shouted, with completely unrecognizable voice, and tears in his eyes: "You're saying that I'm not good enough to be king?"

Scar just couldn't reply. The voice of his son had scared him. He had heard that voice in his own mouth, right on the night when he got his scar, but hearing that voice on his son's mouth, and directed to him, just, left him like paralysed. Scar just stayed silent, however, his expression spoke a little bit for himself.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" shouted Kisasian, with a fountain of tears coming out of both of his eyes. "SO WHO WILL YOU MAKE KING? TOJO?"

Scar didn't know how to say that to Kisasian. During the last weeks, Tojo had kept speaking a little bit with Scar, and they even had become good friends, however, Scar would never make Tojo king after him. But he didn't know how to say that to his son, who was completely heartbroken now.

"I HATE YOU!" shouted Kisasian, crying even more, if possible. "I HATE YOU ALL!"

With those words, Kisasian ran off without looking behind.

"Kisasian!" called Scar, with breaking voice. "Son! Come back!"

The king barely heard his son's reply, but it sounded something like: "Leave me alone!"

Scar just collapsed to the ground, covering his head with his paws, sobbing, but without crying: "What have I done? I just lost my own son. My only son!"

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Kisasian returned to Pride Rock on that night, but he was different. Instead of the sad and bored look that he usually had, he had an angry and cold look, like if he barely repressed his will of hitting someone always that he passed by them. Besides, he hadn't returned alone. If we count dead bodies as company, that is.

He had returned with a prey, a big lizard, who had lost his tail, probably after the first unsuccessful try of Kisasian to grab him. It wasn't very delicious, but surely satisfying. He just stayed outside the cave, and started eating the lizard, without coming in. Koza and Chumvi, with typical cubbish curiosity, decided to come out of the cave, and got surprised by finding Kisasian eating alone, and a prey of his own. They sometimes liked to make fun of other cubs, but they hadn't a real intention of doing it to offend.

"Here it is." said Koza mockingly. "Scar Junior."

"He even has a scar to match his name!" said Chumvi, in the same annoying voice.

"Get out!" said Kisasian, taking his eyes of the lizard for one moment, and then eating again.

"Sure… Scar Junior." said Koza, laughing.

"I said get out!" shouted Kisasian again. "Get away, because I won't repeat it a third time!"

"Pipe down!" said Chumvi, mockingly. "Your scar may blow up!"

And then, it happened. Without any kind of further warning, Kisasian pounced on Chumvi, and began slashing him with extended claws, and biting him seriously. Chumvi was so surprised that he barely reacted. Only Koza's intervention managed to save Chumvi before he got seriously wounded.

"I will repeat again…" said Kisasian. "GET OUT!"

And finally, Chumvi and Koza went inside. Kisasian began eating, until he heard more steps. He looked, and saw his mother, coming close to him.

"Son…" whispered Zira, tenderly. "May we talk?"

"NO!" shouted Kisasian, turning his back to his mother. "I DON'T WANT TO TALK WITH ANYONE!"

"Son, please…" whispered Zira with begging voice. "You're heartbroken… I understand…"

"NO YOU DON'T!" said Kisasian. "You don't understand what is like to be outcasted by everyone!"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" thought Zira, but she only said: "Son, please… don't act like that… your father and I…"

"Think about me as worthless!" said Kisasian, crying again. "You should have called me "Taka", not "Kisasian"!"

"We never thought that." said Zira.

She was trying to be as gentle as she could, because she had a feeling that if she got mad on that moment, that would only make her son's attitude worst, and it wouldn't help. She only said: "Son, I love you, your father also loves you… come eat, please…"

"I don't want your food!" said Kisasian. "I don't want anything from you again!"

Zira didn't know how to react, but she decided to try a different way: "You decide. If you change your mind, we are in the cave."

She went inside the cave, almost sure that her glutton son wouldn't pass a whole night only with a lizard for a meal and sleeping in cold rock. But, when she went inside, she spoke with Scar about her worries: "Scar… what shall we do? I couldn't speak with him… maybe you…"

"I can't…" said Scar. "After today, he probably hates me from the bottom of his heart. I can't do anything. Let's go to sleep. I heard what you told him. If he changes his mind, he will come inside."

However, Kisasian did not change his mind. Scar and Zira passed the whole night on their sleeping places, but without sleeping at all, just like Kisasian, who spent the whole night crying, both outside and inside.

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_What do you think? I tried for this chapter to be rather dramatic... but with some happy moments in the middle... I hope I succeeded. Well, but you readers will tell me. Please, review!_


	36. Chapter 35: The problems of parenthood

_Well, here it is a new chapter for you, readers. This one talks about Simba's life in the jungle. I think that it wasn't as "Hakuna-Matataish" as the movies make us to think... after all, jungle is a dangerous place. Joka (male) is copyrighted to the authors of the book "A Snake In The Grass" from "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" series. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 35 – The problems of parenthood**

Perhaps Kisasian was feeling neglected by everyone, and deeply sad, but his ex-best friend had a quite happy life, in spite of all the problems that his caretakers had with him.

Simba was living a happy and peaceful life on Hakuna Matata, under the care of his best friends, and in a way adoptive parents, Timon and Pumbaa. Surprisingly, eventhough they tried to have a care-free live, Timon and Pumbaa turned out to be very responsible parents, and they took care of Simba well, evethough some problems appeared, like the fact that Simba liked to throw Timon to the air, however the meerkat recognized that Simba was a cat, and a cub, so he had that kind of playing, and Timon, as a pacient "parent", tolerated it.

One of the biggest problems that the duo had to face was that Simba seemed to have some suicidal behaviours, like trying to jump from high trees and trying to fall from waterfalls. Timon and Pumbaa could do anything but theorize.

One of the theories, proposed by Timon, was that Simba had incidentally caused someone's death and was subconsciously trying to join that someone. But, when Pumbaa tried to ask where that idea had come from, Timon said that it didn't matter, while recalling some unpleasant memories of his own young life, on the first moments after his father's death.

Another problem was that, mainly on the first nights when he joined to the duo, Simba often woke them up in the night, mainly Timon, for the most varied reasons. Eventually, when Simba woke up Timon because of a nightmare, Pumbaa decided that he could sleep with them. The young cub's nightmares became less frequent, and eventually disappeared.

Probably the biggest problem was feeding the young cub. Simba was a carnivore, not a bug-eater, and Timon and Pumbaa weren't able to hunt too much of preys for Simba to eat. Eventhough Timon and Pumbaa ate almost exclusively bugs, they sometimes also ate other small animals, however, they couldn't hunt enough to feed a lion. As a cub, Simba could survive only with the bugs that Timon and Pumbaa found, but, like the two friends found out Simba was growing, and eventually, the work of finding bugs for him would be too hard for the two friends to keep it.

Like they had found out, the only solution was to find someone that would teach Simba how to hunt, but the main question was how to find the someone, introduce him to Simba, and come out without being eaten. Assuming that the someone wouldn't kill Simba as well. The best solution was take Simba to Bovu and Shimo, but they were too far, on the Outlands, it would be too difficult to find them. However, all those worries would soon have a solution, for sure.

But for now, Simba was just one year old, and finding bugs to feed him was still quite easy. And, on that afternoon, Timon, Pumbaa and Simba were just returning from lunch, after finding a trunk full of delicious bugs and eating them all.

"That was so good." said Pumbaa. "I ate like a pig!"

"Pumbaa, you are a pig." said Simba.

"Yes." said Pumbaa. "That's right."

"Stop arguing, you too!" said Timon. "It's almost nap time."

"That's good." said Simba, yawning. "I want to sleep…"

But then, he brightened up, and asked: "And what will we do next?"

"Whatever you want." said Timon. "We can play tag, swim in the river…"

"Can we go for a walk outside the jungle?" asked the cub, hopefully.

Suddenly, Timon and Pumbaa's attitude changed. They got with stern expressions, and Pumbaa said, in an unusually stern voice: "You can't go there. It's dangerous. It is outside the jungle, there are predators there."

"But I thought that "Hakuna Matata" meant "No Worries"!" said Simba, confused. "Why do we have to worry with staying here?"

"Because the "Hakuna Matata" rule only works in the jungle!" said Timon sternly, before he could look for a better excuse.

However, before Simba could keep making his questions, Timon said: "And enough of questions, kid! It's nap time, and we must go to sleep. Come on, just relax!"

They arrived to the bed of leaves where they usually slept, and they slept on their normal position. Pumbaa slept with his belly turned to the tops of the trees, Simba lied down on Pumbaa's belly, and Timon as well, and Simba hugged Timon with his right paw, like usually.

The trio soon fell asleep, and nothing would disturb their tranquility for some time.

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However, unlike what Timon and Pumbaa thought, Simba wasn't sleeping. He had pretended to be asleep, and, as soon as he heard Timon's low snoring, and Pumbaa's loud snoring, he carefully got up, waiting for the proper opportunity to escape. He had to be careful. In spite of all the appearances, Timon and Pumbaa had relatively light sleep, and if Simba wasn't careful enough, he would wake them up.

So, the little cub got up, and carefully placed Timon over Pumbaa's belly, on a place where the meerkat wouldn't fall and wake up. Then, he began sneaking away, as silently as he could, for not to wake up the two friends, and then he sneaked away for the plain.

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Simba arrived to the grassy plain quickly enough. He managed to get there without Timon and Pumbaa seeing him. Eventhough he was older, he was still quite adventurous, and liked to go to unknown places, partially to show his bravery, and partially to find out what existed in that place.

But, much to his disappointment, after some time of wandering, he didn't discover anything on the plain. The only things that he had seen were high, yellow grass, quite different from the grass on the Pride Lands, trees, and some herbivores, that could serve as prey, if not for Simba being too small and unexperienced to kill them.

"I don't see what Timon and Pumbaa had against this place." thought Simba, while walking. "It seems quite normal… I mean, so far, I haven't seen anything particularly dangerous around here."

But, after some more minutes of wandering in the plain, Simba hadn't yet found anything special on the plain, and decided that the best for him would be to return home as quicky as he could before Timon and Pumbaa would wake up, find out that he had gone to the plain without their permission, and get angry.

So, the young cub turned backwards, and entered an area of high grass, but his surprise was much when he tripped on something.

"Funny." thought Simba. "I don't recall anything being around her where we can trip. I wonder what…"

Simba looked down, and discovered where he had tripped. He had tripped on some kind of rock… but he couldn't see exactly where. Suddenly, the rock disappeared of his sight, and Simba became rather scared.

He turned to run away, but, before he started running, he heard a hiss, and the hiss came from the direction to where he was preparing to run. Simba turned his back again, and tried to run, but, when he started running, something seemed to come out of the ground and block his way, making him to trip again.

Simba rolled for two or three meters, coming out of the high grass, and, before he managed to get up, he noticed something coming towards him. It was a snake, a python, with more than four meters long. His body was covered in scars that seemed made by claws of a feline smaller than a lion. But the worst part was that he was sliding towards Simba.

The terrified cub tried to get up, but, before he managed to do it, he noticed that the snake was already rolled around him. Well, the snake wasn't yet grabbing him, but it already had former a circle around him, and Simba didn't know how to escape.

"Well… well…" said the snake, staring at Simba with hypnotic eyes. "What do we have here? A deliciousssss sssssatisssssfying lion cub?"

Simba didn't answer, in fact, he didn't speak at all, focused only on a way of coming away of the danger where he had gotten. He noticed that there wasn't any way of coming out, except climb above the circle that the snake had former around him.

He tried to do it. He stepped back, ran, and tried to jump above the snake, but, suddenly, the reptile extended his neck, and blocked the way of the cub on midair. Simba fell without any support over the body of the snake, and he began closing the circle, while speaking sarcastically to Simba.

"What'sssss your hurry, little one?" asked the reptile ironically, trying again to look at Simba with his hypnotical eyes. "We haven't even introduced yet… my name isssss Joka, by the way… and yoursssss? What'sssss your name?"

Simba didn't answer, he only began speaking, but with closed eyes, for not to meet Joka's hypnotical powers: "Nice to meet you, Joka, but I… I've gotta go… I can't stay here any longer…"

And, with those words, Simba extended his claws, and tried to plunge them in Joka's flesh as much as he could, hoping that he would manage to hurt the snake. It worked, because the reptile yelped in pain, temporarially distracted, and the lion cub used that moment to climb above the snake, plunging his claws on the replite, which make Joka to help in pain again, and then he tried to run away, before Joka would recover. Some snakes can be relatively fast in short distances, but a lion, even as a cub, could easily outrun them.

However, before Simba could go far enough, Joka's tail seemed to come out of nowhere, and made him to trip. Simba fell heavily on the ground, and, before he could get up, Joka circled him again, staring straight at the lion cub's eyes.

This time, Simba didn't close his eyes on time, and just stared at the snake while he kept his hypnotical abilities. Before Simba was completely hypnotized, he shouted with all his might: "HELP ME!"

"That won't work, you ssssstupid. No one can hear you…" said Joka, finally closing the circle around Simba. Now, the cub couldn't really go anywhere.

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Without knowing about the troubles that their young friend was having, Timon and Pumbaa were still sleeping peacefully under their tree, completely unaware that their friend had escaped during their nap, and probably they would keep sleeping like that for longer.

However, because Simba had placed Timon in a slightly uncomfortable position, the meerkat moved a little bit in his sleep, and began rolling aside. Normally, he didn't roll while sleeping, probably because he always fell asleep in a good position, and also Simba was holding him, and that prevented him from rolling.

But, in a bad sleeping pose, and without Simba there to hold him, Timon just rolled once more, and it didn't take too much time before the meerkat rolled aside uncontrollably, and fell from Pumbaa's belly to the ground. He woke up still at the middle of the fall, on the instant before falling, but anyway, already too late to prevent the fall from happening.

The meerkat fell heavily on the ground, without anything under to make the landing smoother. Timon got up wearily, and still sleepy, at first without understanding at all what had happened.

"Oh… my head…" said Timon, rubbing his head with his right hand. "Ouch… that hurts… I can't even remembered the last time I fell from my bed…"

He stretched again, hoping to get more relaxed, and then he prepared to climb to Pumbaa's belly, hoping to be able to continue his nap with Pumbaa and Simba. But then, he noticed something. Simba wasn't there! He hadn't noticed earlier, but now that he thought a little bit better, of course Simba wasn't there.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten in an untranquile sleeping pose and fallen from the warthog!

"Wake up, Pumbaa!" shouted the meerkat, and the warthog woke up in a flash.

"What, what?" asked Pumbaa, looking around like crazy.

"Simba's gone!" said Timon, worriedly.

"But where can he be?" asked Pumbaa, in a voice that looked very much like Timon's, at least when it came to level of worry.

"I don't know, buddy, but it's time for we to discover it." said the meerkat in a comanding voice. "You snif left, I snif right."

It wasn't necessary more than that for the warthog to roll out of his bed with a surprising speed and beginning to snif intensively on the left, while Timon did the same on the other side.

Both meerkat and warthog had a fine sense of smell, it was naturally necessary for them to find their food, but that fine sense of smell could also serve some other uses. And one of them, surely very important, was finding a missing friend.

After some minutes sniffing around, the meerkat finally discovered the scent of their carnivore charge, and he didn't waste any time in communicating that to his friend.

"Pumbaa!" called Timon with urgency in his voice. "Come here! Quick!"

Warthog was there in a second, and the meerkat said: "Sniff, I found it!"

With those words Timon came out of the way so that Pumbaa could also sniff the track. He inhaled deeply for a second, and then said: "It looks like you're right, Timon. But I wander where he went?"

Without replying, Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, and only then he bothered to reply, again with urgency in his voice: "Does that really matter now? We have to find out the little guy before he gets in trouble!"

"Right, Timon." said Pumbaa, and he began trotting while following Simba's scent, with his head bended and his snout almost touching the ground.

Warthog wanted to walk faster, but to walk at that speed, he had to raise his head, and if he did that, there was a risk of losing the track of the young lion, and taking more time to find him. That was the reason why the suine only trotted instead of running.

The members of the duo were absolutely silent, and the only sound heard were Pumbaa's hooves stepping on the soft ground of the jungle. But, mainly because each one of them felt the tension in his friend's mucscle, both understood that they shared the same hope, eventhough they wouldn't admit loudly. Both hoped that, when they found Simba, they would find him still alive, well, and mainly, out of troubles.

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However, Timon and Pumbaa's common hope seemed to be a vain hope, because Simba was already grabbed in Joka's grasp, and completely powerless to escape from the huge reptile.

The snake was already completely circled around him, and she was holding so tight that Simba was completely paralysed. The snake wasn't choking the young predator, however, it seemed that it wouldn't take too much time before she decided to do it.

Anyway, because the cub was completely hypnotized and immobilized, it also didn't care. It would be almost the same if Joka decided to swallow Simba on that instant, or if he decided to crush Simba and only swallow him later. The only difference on the final result was that the lion cub with crushed bones would be easier to swallow than a whole cub.

Simba didn't know that, but anyway, there was little that he knew. He couldn't turn his head, to see if someone was coming to help him, because the snake was holding him with a solid grasp. So, he only tried to look ahead, seeing if there was someone there who could help him. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't see anyone in front of him who could help. And, even if he saw someone, he cub also couldn't open his mouth, because the reptile already had left him half-suffocated with a grasp around his neck, and he also had some snake around his chin so he couldn't open his mouth.

And, supposing that he would, who would want to help him to get free of Joka? Which creature would gladly help someone that he didn't know? Any herbivore would just run away while the snake was busy with another prey. Any carnivore would just ignore him. Who could be able to help?

"That's funny." thought Simba bitterly. "I rarely have this tendency to be a philosopher, but it seems that in the final moments of our lives, we get a time to revive what happened. It's just a pity that we can't mend our mistakes."

Meanwhile, Joka was looking at him, from time to time closing his forked tongue of the cub's head, like if he was trying to taste his meal before devouring it completely.

"He tassssstesssss well." whispered Joka. "I want to feel his tasssste very well before devouring him… he will be one excelent meal…"

While the snake "tasted" his meal before devouring it, Simba was basically seeing all his life passing in front of his eyes. He had his first memory, one thing that he could vaguely recall, of going out with Nala.

"I wonder how she is now." thought Simba. "I just hope she's well."

He then remembered a lot of things more. He remembered when he discovered the six birds who later chose Tojo for adoptive parent. He remembered when he met Joe, and ended up in the Outlands, almost devoured by a crocodile and by hyenas. He remembered his mother bathing him, and his loud complain of "You're messing up my mane!"

"Oh, I would give anything to be right now in my mother's paws, being licked." thought Simba, remembering of his mother's tenderness with tears in his eyes.

He remembered when he and Nala went to the Elephant Graveyard, and he almost killed Nala and Zazu by making them to go there. He remembered his father's talking about the stars, and then, another memory… the most terrible of them all.

He couldn't still recall it properly… all that he could remember was of his roar echoing through the gorge, being chased by thousands of hooves, while the dust choked him, his father grabbing him and placing him on a safe place before the stampede took him again… his father climbing desperately the steep walls of the gorge… he trying to run above to help his father… and his father falling while hoof after hoof crushed him to death… and is uncle Scar whispering the dreadful words: "Run away and never return."

"Well, now I will never return." thought Simba, who was beginning to see everything around him more and more dim.

The snake wasn't tighting more the grasp, but wasn't also relaxing it. And then, Simba understood. If he died… well, the idea of dying seemed almost nice for him, at least he would finally see his father again, among all the creatures that had lived, which included for sure all of his ancestors… but then, he recalled something that made him trying to fight once more. If he died, he would met his father, but how would his father react? Simba had killed him!

What would the Great Kings of the Past think? He could recall the names of some of them… but he couldn't meet them! He didn't want to meet them! He wouldn't stand the guilt.

"I can't die now." thought Simba, somewhat determinately. "I can't die now!"

And so, the young cub made one last effort, and tried to slash Joka with all the strenght and breath that he had left. He plunged his claws in Joka's flesh, but before he could plunge any further, Joka was tighting his grasp more and more, so much that Simba couldn't move, and he could barely breath. He had no idea about how he would escape of that terrible situation.

"I'm done for!" thought Simba, terrified.

And then, finally, Joka seemed to be ready for the meal, while Simba slowly drifted to unconsciousness. Again, memories of his life passed in front of his eyes, this time being also memories of Timon and Pumbaa. He remembered everything that they had done for him, and he thought about how sad they would feel when they discovered that he had been eaten. All because he had disobeyed their orders.

"It seems that I just can't learn from my mistakes." thought the golden cub. "I disobeyed my father four months ago, it almost turned out in tragedy. Now, I disobeyed my adoptive parents, and this time, it will really turn out in tragedy. If for some miracle I survive, I swear that I will always obey Timon and Pumbaa!"

After that, his mind was too dim for him to have any more thoughts, as he was almost unconscious. He still had his eyes half-open, but his sight was too dim for him to see clearly. All that he was sure was that Joka was extending his neck backwards, almost as if he was gaining balance to swallow the whole cub at once.

"He will waste all the taste." thought Simba ironically.

Then he saw Joka's head balancing from one side to another, as if he was calculating the best angle to throw himself forward, in a way that swallowing the cub would be easier.

Then, he saw Joka coming again closer, as if he was calculating better the distance… and finally, Joka opened his mouth, with a surprising angle for such a small head. Simba noticed that Joka had a lot of teeth inside his mouth. They weren't poisonous, the main goal of them was to stop the prey from escaping, but it seemed that this time they hadn't been used.

The cub also noticed that the inside of Joka's mouth was of a deep red, and also noticed Joka's forked tongue.

And then, finally came the final moment. Joka launched his head forward with an amazing speed, and, some instants before he reached Simba's head, the young cub drifted away.

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_So, what did you think? Sorry if this chapter seems less relaxed than the normal "Hakuna-Matata" but I believe that Simba's life wasn't (at least always) as relaxed as the movies make us to think. I also believe that Timon and Pumbaa were more responsible babysitters than shown in TLKII: Simba's Pride, because, after all, they raised a lion cub to adulthood. Well, you may give me your opinion about these particular points in your review._


	37. Chapter 36: A new teacher

_Well, here it comes another chapter. Mkalimu (female) is copyrighted to the fan-artist Vekke, from The Lion King Fan-Art Archive, and I have her permission to use her. Now that's over, let's begin. _

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**Chapter 36 – A new teacher**

Just before Joka's mouth managed to touch Simba's head, a heavy paw smacked him on the face, pushing his head away of the young cub. The reptile felt his body fall on the ground, and got half dizzy by the smack that he got, however he didn't release Simba, who was still unconscious.

"That wasssss my lunch." said Joka annoyed without looking at his attacker. "Go get yoursssss!"

The misterious attacker didn't answer, but instead, plunged his claws deep in the python's body. The snake shouted from pain, and eventually, and also unwillingly, relaxed his grasp on Simba, and he felt as someone pulled Simba of him. On that moment, he turned his head to the attacker.

The sight of reptiles is not too good, but Joka saw perfectly as the attacker stepped back, carrying the unconscious cub by the scruff, and placed Simba out of Joka's reach, by forming a barrier between the snake and the lion cub. Joka was also seeing perfectly who the attacker was, and, even if he wasn't, he would recognize the attacker perfectly.

The animal that had attacked the reptile and released the cub was a powerfully built leopardess with blue eyes, and Joka knew her very well. He hated her deeply, but he feared her even more deeply. He lifted his head 'till the level of the leopardess's eyes, and tried to assume a polite voice, in an attempt to cover his fear.

"Oh… Mkalimu…" said Joka, faking amazement and joy. "What a sssssurprissssse…"

"I can say the same, Joka!" replied the leopardess with harsh voice. "On the bad meaning of the word, that is. Because it wasn't a good surprise at all to see what you were doing to that innocent lion cub!"

Joka shivered. From the last time that he had tried to eat a helpless cub and Mkalimu had seen it, Joka barely escaped alive, and his scars could easily tell the story.

"I would give anything to grow some more meters and be able to swallow that leopardess!" thought Joka, staring at her furiously.

But it was useless. The leopardess was too powerful for him to eat her, and besides, she didn't seem affected by her hypnotical look. The only chance for Joka to come out alive was to give any kind of excuse to the enraged Mkalimu. He only said: "Uh… I wasssssn't trying to eat him, I ssssswear… I wasssss jussssst rolling around him for him to sleep on me and sssssinging a lullaby for him to fall asssssleep!"

Mkalimu didn't answer. She simply made a fast movement, and slashed Joka's neck, making him to fall heavily on the ground, making four parallel wounds. Those cuts would take much time to heal, because when the snake moved, he would unavoidably open them a little bit more. But Joka was wise enough to move away without replying again, otherwise he could stay without a head.

"And if I ever see you menacing an innocent cub, I'll flay you alive!" shouted Mkalimu with all her might before Joka disappeared on the high grass.

Then she turned to Simba, who was slowly regaining consciousness. Her voice changed completely when she spoke to the cub: "Poor little thing. To think that Joka almost swallowed you alive… ugh…"

For Simba, it seemed like to wake up from a nightmare. For some reason, probably only by miracle, he hadn't any broken bones, but he was still feeling half-choked, and with a big headache, possibly caused by some lack of oxygen. All that he could remember was being choked almost to death by the snake, the snake almost devouring him, and then he woke up, in a place. Because his vision was still a little bit faulty, he couldn't recognize it well, but he was sure that it wasn't neither Joka's stomach nor any place from the Great Kings of the Past.

"What… what happened?" asked Simba, still half-confused. "What is this place? It doesn't seem like Joka's stomach."

"Don't worry, my dear." said the leopardess, nuzzling Simba and purring in an attemp to comfort the little cub. "This is the savannah, and you're alive."

Simba was a little bit shocked, mainly by the shock of being alive, and after by the shock of being saved by the leopardess. And, even more, he almost didn't remember what was like to be nuzzled so motherly, but he soon enjoyed, and even retributed.

However, his next question showed that he was still psychologically marked by the snake's attack: "But where's Joka?"

"He went away, don't worry." said the leopardess gently.

With that, Simba finally noticed the spots of blood on Mkalimu's paws. He asked, a little bit shyly: "So… you saved me? And by the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Mkalimu." said the leopardess, stroking Simba's head affectionately. "And what's yours, my dear?"

"Simba." said the lion cub.

"Well then, Simba, would you like me to take you to your parents?" asked Mkalimu. "They are probably worried sick about you."

Simba didn't know how to explain the whole matter to Mkalimu. How could he explain that he had ran away from home because he had caused his father's death and that he was living with a meerkat and a warthog (ironically, both of them being a specie that a leopardess and a lion would consider preys), who were, in a way, his adoptive parents?

But Simba was spared to the explanations, at least for a while, because, right on that time, two well-known voices shouted in unison: "Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah!"

Both the felines looked around, right on time to see Pumbaa, with Timon on his back, charging straight at Mkalimu. The leopardess jumped up, avoiding Pumbaa's attack right on time, while Timon jumped of the warthog's back and stood protectively in front of Simba, like if he was ready to defend a cub big enough to eat him from a leopardess that could crush him like a fly.

Mkalimu landed, and she turned to Pumbaa, who had already stopped and turned to her, ready for another charge. Fortunately the warthog hadn't hit the leopardess. If, for some kind of luck, Pumbaa had managed to hit his target with his tusks at full speed, Mkalimu would probably die. If, for some reason, Mkalimu had managed to hit Pumbaa, he wouldn't die, but he would be incapacitated, probably enough to be killed on the following moment.

But both the opponents had escaped unharmed from the first assault, and were ready for the second one, with tensed muscles, and with bared teeth and tusks, depending from the case. However, the second assault didn't come, because, before they could charge, Simba stepped in front of them, shouting: "No! Pumbaa, Mkalimu, stopped. They'me friends, and she's my friend!"

"What?" asked Timon, Pumbaa, and Mkalimu in unison.

For the next seconds, no one managed to speak in fact, because they were still too shocked, but Mkalimu finally asked: "How did they come to be your friends?"

"They're my adoptive parents, to be exact." said Simba, without any sign of shame on his voice.

"Adoptive parents?" asked Mkalimu with a raised eyebrow. "Now I'm really confused."

Simba sighed deeply, and then he said to the leopardess: "They found me in the desert, saved me, and took care of me during the last four months. It's the best that I can explain."

"Well…" said Mkalimu very slowly. "That is, indeed, a surprise…"

But then, Simba turned to Timon and Pumbaa, and he noticed that both of them were angry, looking at him with a menacing look. And Simba wasn't blaming them at all. Just because he disobeyed their orders, he nearly ended sliding through Joka's throat. He was looking at the meerkat and the warthog with a scared look, and honestly, he was even a little bit afraid of them, thought he never thought that such a thing was possible.

"Simba…" said Timon sternly. "What did we tell you before nap time?"

Simba sighed deeply, and then he said, a little bit scared: "Don't go to the plain."

"And why can't you go to the plain?" asked Pumbaa, with the same stern voice that the meerkat had.

"Because it is dangerous." said Simba, very scared.

The cub hesitated a little bit before telling them, but he ended up deciding that probably it would be best telling, otherwise they could know for Mkalimu, and then it would only be worst.

"And you were right." admitted Simba with a voice full of shame, lowering his head for not to face Timon and Pumbaa. "A snake almost ate me. If it wasn't for Mkalimu, the snake would really have eaten me."

Timon and Pumbaa gasped from surprise, but after recovering from that they seemed to get even angrier than before. The two friends whispered something to each other. Simba tried to listen what they were saying, but he failed. However, it seemed that he would soon know it, because Pumbaa advanced towards Simba, and the young cub almost backed away. The warthog said: "This time, we won't punish you. I hope that this served you as a lesson. But if you repeat the mistake, we will punish you."

Then, the suine bended down, and said: "Now, climb. You need to eat, to drink, and to sleep."

Before climbing, Simba asked hopefully: "So… aren't you angry at me?"

"Well…" said Pumbaa hesitantly. "We are a little bit."

"But it will pass." said Timon.

Simba climbed on Pumbaa's back, and then the warthog turned to Mkalimu, and said: "Uh… miss… what's your name, actually?"

"Mkalimu." said the leopardess. "And yours?"

"Pumbaa." said the warthog.

"Timon." said the meerkat.

On the following moment, both the friends seemed a little bit lost, without knowing exactly what to say to the leopardess. But, when they exchanged stares, Timon turned to Mkalimu and said uncertainly: "Uh… could you please come with us?"

"Sure." said Mkalimu.

And then, the quartet began walking back to the jungle, with Simba trying to make himself comfortable on the suine's back.

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It didn't take too much time before they arrived to the jungle, and their surprise was much when they arrived to the bed of leaves, and discovered that Simba had fallen asleep during the way. At least the cub seemed to be sleeping peacefully, without nightmares.

Pumbaa and Timon tried to make Simba to slip out of their backs to the bed, but they weren't sure that they could make it without wake up the sleeping cub.

"Maybe I could help." said Mkalimu when she noticed the problem of Simba's adoptive parents.

She walked towards the sleeping Simba, and picked him by the scruff, lifting him of Pumbaa's back and placing him on the bed of leaves. Simba didn't even seem to feel as the leopardess moved him.

Timon walked to Simba, and stroked the young cub's head while smiling; trying to make sure that he wouldn't wake up. Pumbaa did the same, and both stood there for some time without speaking.

"They may be from a different specie..." thought Mkalimu, smiling tenderly. "…but it seems that parenthood love is unconditional, no matter which specie it appears."

With those thoughts, she recalled her own young cubs, and in a way, thought that Simba somehow resembled them, at least in the adventurous spirit. But it all came crashing down… because of those terrible creatures…

"Past is past." thought Mkalimu, barely repressing tears and sobs. "Thinking about him permanently won't bring it back. It's sad, but it's the truth."

She came back to reality when Pumbaa asked: "Mkalimu, can we talk with you?"

"Sure." said the leopardess, awakening from her memories. "What do you want to speak with me?

And then, Timon and Pumbaa started interrogating Mkalimu, basically about everything that they could recall. Among those questions were: "How big was the snake?" "Was Simba so much in the danger?" "Why did you save him?" "How do you got to know that he was in danger?"

After being bombarded with lots of questions, Mkalimu decided that the best thing to do would be to tell to Simba's adoptive parents the whole story. She had listened Simba crying for help, and, without thinking, she ran to help him. It was always like that, she couldn't resist helping an endangered cub. Mkalimu told them how she had arrived right on time to prevent the snake from swallowing the lion cub.

Timon and Pumbaa gasped from surprise, but eventually Pumbaa said: "Uh… thank you. Thank you for saving Simba."

"Yes, thank you." said Timon.

"You're welcome." said Mkalimu.

Timon and Pumbaa went back to Simba, and then they decided to speak about the problem that they had to raise Simba that worried him the most. The hunt. As far as it disliked them, Simba was a carnivore, and he needed to learn how to hunt in order to survive, because it would be difficult for him to grow big and strong just with a diet of bugs. It was the hard truth.

"Do you think that we can ask Mkalimu to teach Simba how to hunt?" asked Pumbaa to Timon.

"I'm not sure." said Timon. "It's true that she saved Simba, but she is a carnivore! How can we be sure that she won't turn against us and that she won't make Simba to turn against us?"

"Simba is our friend, Timon!" said Pumbaa, a little bit shocked. "He won't turn against us! We saved him!"

"I believe that." said Timon, with certain voice. "I just don't believe that the leopardess won't eat us when Simba isn't looking!"

"We can try to trust her." said Pumbaa. "And, just in case she runs out of control…"

Then, Pumbaa lowered his voice to a whisper, and said, in a way that only Timon could hear: "I have my… special power."

Timon thought for a little bit, and then he said, in the same whispering voice: "Enough talking Pumbaa. If she runs out of control, you can use your special power!"

"Sounds good to me." said Pumbaa excitedly.

And then, Timon and Pumbaa finally turned to Mkalimu, who was still waiting behind them. Pumbaa began speaking, with uncertain voice: "Uh… Mkalimu… we… may need… some help…"

"With what?" asked the leopardess, confused.

"Uh… could you…" said Timon, very uncertainly. "..teach Simba how to hunt? I mean… he's a lion, and I don't think that he can grow as a lion only with bugs…"

"That's also my opinion." said Pumbaa.

For the first moments, Mkalimu didn't even the offer that they were doing to her, it seemed almost like a dream come true! But, when she realised that the two friends were actually meaning it, she decided to think for a little bit in all the implications. If she accepted, she would have to help taking care of a cub, but taking care of a cub was her biggest aim ever since her cubs had been killed. True, it wouldn't be exactly the same thing that taking care of her cubs, mainly because she wouldn't do it alone, and because it was a lion cub, not a leopard cub, but it was surely better than nothing. So, she prompty accepted the offer made by the warthog and the meerkat. However, she didn't like to show her emotions too deeply, so she tried to speak calmly.

"Yes, I accept." said Mkalimu with normal voice.

"Alright." said Timon. "Now we only have to see if Simba accepts. And now, big fella, back to the main point! Nap time!"

"Yeah!" said Pumbaa excitedly.

They didn't want to enter the bed, for not to wake up Simba, but they slept at the bed's side, on the usual position, with Pumbaa sleeping on his back, and Timon sleeping on Pumbaa's belly. Soon they fell asleep.

Mkalimu climbed to a tree, the same tree under which Timon and Pumbaa had the bed, and lied down comfortable on one of the most solid branches. There, she looked down on the strange trio. A lion cub, being raised by two species that he would normally consider as the next supper, and the two "suppers", who, on one paw, seemed to take like joyfully and without worries, but on the other paw, they asked her to teach Simba how to hunt, just to make sure that their "son" was raised properly and got well-fed, and seemingly without taking the "own risk" into account.

"It is a strange trio." thought Mkalimu. "I can't deny it. But maybe that is exactly what is missing to me. A little bit of joy. Ever since I lost my cubs, the only thing that I actually had was sadness."

She looked tenderly at the sleeping trio, rested her head on her paws, and shortly after, she fell asleep as well.

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Simba woke up some time later, still feeling half-sleepy. When he woke up, he noticed that neither Timon, Pumbaa nor Mkalimu were there. He got up, trying to look for them, but then, he heard some voice calling: "Simba!"

His ears flicked up, and he looked around, without understanding at all what had happened. He had listened clearly that someone was calling him, but he couldn't see where was the someone.

"Simba!" called the voice again, in a gentle way.

This time, Simba heard it very well, and went walking towards the sound, passing through the jungle. But, after some more moments of walking, he hadn't yet found who called him. That seemed strange, because in such a thick jungle like that one was, sounds can't travel too far. However, from time to time, the voice appeared again, making him to confirm that he was on the right way. But, after some time of walking, he finally arrived to the edge of the jungle, to the plain, and he hadn't yet found any kind of creature who could have been calling him.

"The plain." thought Simba. "Timon and Pumbaa said that I couldn't go to the plain, it's dangerous."

"Go further." called the voice again. "You are doing very well."

"But…" tried to reply Simba.

"No buts." said the voice, this time more sternly.

Simba tried to reply, but, for some unknow reason, he went further, like if finding the one who had called him was a tentation… some kind of fatal tentation. And he went further. And then, after walking for some time, he arrived to an open clearing in the middle of the grass, where he found a ball of light. And then, the ball of light suddenly changed to one creature… one creature that he never hoped to see again…

"No…" whispered Simba, when the ball of light finally turned to the creature. "It can't be… mom…"

"Yes, son." said Sarabi, smiling. "Come here."

Simba didn't waste any more time in going further, running to his mother with tears in his eyes… how he had wished doing that again…

"Mom!" shouted Simba happily, even before arriving there. "It's so good to see…"

But suddenly, Sarabi's expression changed from tender to angry, and she smacked Simba powerfully with her paw. Simba fell on the ground, rolling several meters, and when he got up, he noticed that his mother was deeply angry and sad at the same time.

"How could you?" shouted Sarabi, sobbing uncontrollably. "How could you kill your own father?"

So, she knew! Simba felt like if something was crushing his heart, he couldn't hang on. But, who had told her? Simba tried to explain.

"It was an accident, mom…" tried to say Simba, but she interrupted him.

"It doesn't matter what it was!" shouted Sarabi, crying more and more. "The problem is that you killed your father! You're…"

On that moment, the words seemed to miss to Sarabi, like if she couldn't find terrible enough words to describe what Simba had done. Then, she shouted, still crying: "You're the worst son that any lioness could ever have!"

Simba just couldn't believe that. He was almost crying, but the surprise was too big for the tears to come out. He just whispered sadly: "Mom… you… don't mean it… right?..."

"OF COURSE I MEAN IT!" shouted the lioness, with a fountain of tears coming out of each eye.

And then, another thing began happening. The lioness was slowly turning into some kind of strange black smoke, that suddenly began forming some kind of circle around Simba. The young cub was terrified, and tried to run across the smoke to return to the jungle, in safety.

But, when he tried to do it, he found out that the smoke seemed solid, and he couldn't cross it. And besides, the circle of smoke was tighting… and gaining shape… gaining the shape of a snake!

"Oh no!" shouted Simba.

And then, the smoke was rolled around him, like a snake would go, and then, the reptile of smoke turned into Joka!

"Sssssurprissssse!" said Joka, before opening completely his mouth and throwing his head to devour Simba.

"NOOOO!" shouted the young cub, terrified.

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"NOOOO!" shouted the young cub, terrified.

He woke up in his bed, to find out that he was alone, and that everything was a nightmare, but it was still so scary.

"Simba!" shouted Timon, who was sitting at the edge of bed, taking care of him, while Pumbaa and Mkalimu had gone to look for food. "Are you alright?"

Simba hugged his adopted parent, crying, and saying: "Oh… I had another nightmare… terrible…"

"Don't worry." said Timon, hugging Simba, and stroking the cub's head. "It's all right now… don't worry…"

After a few minutes of comforting words from Timon, Simba finally stopped crying. He then looked around, to find out that neither Pumbaa nor Mkalimu were there.

"Timon, where are Pumbaa and Mkalimu?" asked the young cub, a little bit worried.

"Don't worry." said the meerkat. "They went to look for food."

In fact, each one of them had gone to look for different kinds of food. Pumbaa had gone to look for bugs, and Mkalimu had gone to look for meat. They had decided to choose what kind of food they should actually give to Simba.

Eventually, both returned. The warthog was dragging a giant leaf full of bugs, and Mkalimu brought a piece of meat. Timon stepped away, and both the animals dropped the food in front of him.

"You can choose." said Mkalimu.

Simba was a little bit confused. It was truth that he liked the meat, however it was also truth that he liked the bugs, and so, he was a little bit confused about what to choose. Another thing was that he didn't want to offend no one of them, neither his adoptive parents nor the leopardess who had saved him.

Eventually, Simba ended up picking a little bit of each thing, and ate from both. In the end, he said: "The meat was nice, but the bugs were almost as nice. I think that I will eat bugs as dessert, and meat for main meal."

"That's good." said Mkalimu. "Because… I have an offer for you."

"And what is that?" asked the cub.

"I… want to teach you something about hunt… if you accept, that is." said Mkalimu shyly.

For some seconds, Simba was yet too amazed to answer. On just one day, he had been saved from a near death experience, and now he was being given the chance of learning how to hunt. It seemed almost too good to be truth. There was only one small detail, that he would have to make clear to Mkalimu.

"Under one condition." said Simba to Mkalimu.

"What is it?" asked the leopardess.

"Timon and Pumbaa are off-limits." said the cub.

"Sounds perfect with me." said Mkalimu.

Timon and Pumbaa sighed from relief, both because they had the problem of Simba learning hunting solved, and both because Simba remembered Mkalimu that they were off limits. It was a big relief for them.

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_What did you think? Sorry, but I'm one of those that believe that it would be VERY hard for Simba to grow as strong as he grew up only with bugs. So, he should have someone to teach him. As for why he didn't eat Timon and Pumbaa... Timon and Pumbaa saved his life, and are his friends. I don't believe Simba would eat his friends, even if he was hungry. But you may give me your opinion about that in your review._


	38. Chapter 37: Time to confess

_Well... here it is a new chapter of my fanfic. I hope that you enjoy it as much as possible. Now, we will go back to the Pride Lands. I'm not sure of how Shani's character should be in the Disney version, but because she never made it to the movie, I guess we all are free to portray her as we wish. I hope you enjoy how I portrayed her. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 37 – Time to confess**

Life was going rather normally on Pride Rock, and no trouble had yet appeared to disturb the peacefulness, eventhough there were some rather minor problems. Shani, the youngest member of the pride, was growing healthy and strong. Eventhough she was young, she was very lively, and mainly, intelligent. When she was three months old, Sarabi joined her to the trainings of the pride on how to fight hyenas, which would surely be necessary for her.

Some members of the pride were saying that it was a pity that Rule of Challenge was unvalid between fights of lions and lionesses, or between fights of lionesses, because, according to some of the guesses of the adult members of the pride, as an adult Shani would surely be big and strong enough to kill Scar, but, because the law didn't work like that, the pride had to count with Tojo, who was still doing his special training with Rafiki, and it would soon give results.

The real worry that the whole pride had to face was Kisasian, who was actually becoming lonely, or maybe better to say, living completely apart from the pride. He stubbornly refused to eat from the food of the pride, and to sleep on the cave. And, what seemed even more intriguing, he was somehow managing to hunt well enough to keep himself as healthy and strong as before. Zira had once followed her son in secret, and confirmed that he actually hunted, he didn't ask for food to anyone.

Some of the cubs, for the first time, showed some admire for the outcasted prince, but they could never come too close, because, like they soon came to find out, Kisasian scratched or bit any creature that came close to him, without caring with size, age, or specie. The only one who could still come close to Kisasian without being bitten or slashed was Tojo, but even he was screamed at. Eventually, all the members of the pride learned to stay away from Kisasian, for their own safety.

But, one day, when Shani was four months old, Sarabi finally remembered one thing, so simple, that she was absolutely surprised for not to have remembered about that earlier. It was so certain, that she finally felt convinced. She had found the perfect way of kicking Scar and Zira out of the throne, without any kind of bloodshed. She only needed of saying some words to the royal couple, and after that, the support of a lawyer.

The former queen told the first part of her plan to the pride, on the end of one of her training sessions, one night, and after they had sent the cubs away. All of them agreed, except Sakia, Mega, and Uzuri, who told that Scar and Zira were making a good enough job rulling the pride and the lands, and it wasn't necessary to kick them out. Sarabi and the others were forced to admit that they were amazed at the good way how Scar and Zira were rulling, but they stubbornly wanted them out of the throne. Sarabi called it "a matter of principle".

And so, she took the first step of her plan. She left Shani under the care of Sabini, and went to talk with Scar and Zira.

"This is it." thought Sarabi, with barely hidden triumph while she entered the cave. "Soon, that outsider will be out of the throne that rightfully belongs to my daughter."

She approached the new monarchs, and tried to pretend an official look. When Scar and Zira saw her arriving, they seemed to get slightly aprehensive, however, Scar asked calmly: "What do you want, Sarabi?"

"I want to speak with you, Scar." said the former queen.

She normally called him "king" but on her mouth, at least since the day when she and Zira had their duel, Scar sounded as official as any other title. And, when she saw that Zira wasn't leaving the place, she added: "Alone."

"I can ask Zira to go away." said the king. "But know that, whatever you tell me, I will tell her if she asks me. I don't have secrets to her. So, speak now or go away."

Sarabi barely repressed her will of jumping directly to Zira's neck and do what she had failed in doing two years before. But if she did that right then, she would be a criminal. She couldn't do it on that time.

So, after she repressed her will of doing that, she said: "We have something important to discuss. Namely, the throne."

"I don't think there's anything important to discuss." said Scar, eventhough the talk was rather disturbing him and Zira. "I'm king now, Zira is queen now, what do you want?"

"It's very simple." said Sarabi. "You are king, but just because Mufasa died. Now, with the arrival of a new heir, namely my daughter Shani, I mean that she will rule when she becomes an adult. That is very simple."

"No, Sarabi." said Zira, entering the talk for the first time. "It is not very simple. Shani is as much of a rightful heir as any of mine and Scar's cubs."

"You are no one!" shouted Sarabi to Zira. "So, stay silent, out…"

"It is very serious to insult the queen." said Scar with a stern voice. "Remember very well that, Sarabi."

Sarabi breathed deeply again, to regain her calm, and then she said: "So, are you assuming that your son, who, by the way can barely see you without smacking you or running away, will be the future king?"

"Oh, please Sarabi." said Scar sarcastically. Then he added more seriously: "You know very well that Shani won't rule, why you are giving so many hopes to your daughter?"

"Don't make it more difficult, Scar." said Sarabi.

And then, she tried a different technique, eventhough she wouldn't exactly tell a lie by saying it..

"Oh, Scar, please." said the former queen with begging voice. "Don't make it even harder to me than it is being now. I… sometimes… I beg… that we could… be together again…"

Zira bared her teeth, and then, Scar said, beginning to get a little bit angry: "You don't have any shame on that face of yours. If you had the slightest shame of what you've done to my mate, you wouldn't come here tell that, Sarabi. And you know it very well. So, don't come to bring up vain hopes."

And then, Scar said, without chaning his calm and decisive voice, but with voice breaking slightly: "And, either way, it wouldn't work, because there is another thing stopping it. Do you know what is it?"

"No. What is it?" replied Sarabi, with genuine amazement in her voice.

"I killed Mufasa." replied Scar calmly. "And also Simba. So, what now?"

For the first seconds, Sarabi couldn't believe the words that came out of the black-maned lion's mouth. Her ears almost seemed to refuse to accept those words. The former-queen looked on Zira, and she noticed that Zira wasn't amazed at all. So… maybe it was truth? No… it couldn't be…

"No… you didn't…" said Sarabi, with tears coming out of her eyes. "You… you wouldn't do it, Scar… the Scar that I knew would never do it…"

Scar walked closer to Sarabi, and said with hollow voice: "The Scar that you knew died."

He added with with a voice full of some kind of repressed anger: "And you helped in killing him. Mufasa and my father did the rest. The Scar that you knew is dead, but he is also avenged."

Sarabi looked deeply into the king's eyes. She wasn't believing in him at all, and expressed exactly that thought.

"I don't believe you!" said Sarabi. "You're lying!"

And she left the cave, still with tears flowing through her face, falling on the ground. On the way, she found Kisasian, but the king's son wasn't looking at her, he even seemed to be ignoring her.

"I wonder if he would believe in the lie that his father told." thought Sarabi.

And, with those words, she finally walked away.

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"Well then, Sarabi, what happened?" asked Sarafina hopefully, when she saw her friend returning. "Did you manage to convince Scar that Shani is the rightful heir, and that he and Zira will have to leave the throne once she becomes mature?"

But when she saw Sarabi actually coming closer, she saw that Sarabi hadn't any triumphant expression, but she was deeply sad, and she had even been crying.

"Sarabi!" shouted Sarafina, worried, running to her friend. "Are you alright?"

Sarabi didn't answer, she just came closer to Sarafina, still with that sad expression.

"She's almost as sad as she was on the day when Scar told us that Simba and Mufasa were dead." thought Sarafina, looking sadly at Sarabi. "I wonder what Scar, or that outsider Zira, told to her to make her like that."

Sarabi came closer, and then Sarafina thought: "Whatever they told her, she isn't well for sure."

And Sarafina asked worriedly: "Sarabi… what did they tell you for you to come out like that?"

Sarabi just sat down, without crying, but still with that sad expression. She only said: "There's nothing we can do about Shani. After all, we already have the plan of making Tojo king by training him with Rafiki, and I believe that we should keep that. Because now, Shani is as much of rightful heir…"

Before keeping, she narrowed her eyes in anger, and said: "… as any retarded son of those two outsiders who unfortunately are rightful monarchs by now!"

Sarafina thought for some time, while hugging Sarabi in an attempt to confort her. She was thinking: "Well, I don't know exactly what she means, but anyway, it isn't any reason to worrry us. We still have the idea of Tojo's training, and that's probably the idea that we should follow."

And then, Sarafina said: "Don't worry, Sarabi. If they don't accept that they have to leave the throne when Shani becomes an adult, we will follow with the idea of training Tojo, like we had done before."

"Yes, you're right." said the former-queen, after wipping off the tears of her face.

But she was thinking: "Maybe we should be the ones convincing that both of her are as much of rightful monarchs as Mufasa and I were."

However, another voice, more firm, said: "No! They aren't monarchs. They are outsiders! We must get rid of them."

So, Sarabi repeated, this time with more firm voice: "You're right, we must use Tojo as we planned, and we must depose Scar by that way."

With those words, the former queen and her friend finally returned to Pride Rock, and there, they lied down and tried to sleep, eventhough Sarabi had a very untranquile night.

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But she wasn't the only one having an untranquile night. Scar and Zira also had a very untranquile night, while they talked on the top of Pride Rock, like they usually did.

"Do you honestly think that it was a good idea to tell Sarabi that you killed Mufasa and Simba?" asked Zira worriedly. "It's just that… honestly, I think that Sarabi will probably tell all the others, and then… you know."

"Sarabi won't tell anyone." said Scar with rather decisive voice. "You listened very well what she told about me lying. And I can't lie. A king must keep his word. But anyway, it seems that nobody among them believes me, even when I tell the truth."

"I believe you." said Zira.

"Yes…" said Scar, with relieved voice. "And I thank you for that. If you didn't believe me, no one would."

With those words, Scar nuzzled Zira, and hugged her. Zira also hugged her mate, but then she said: "Scar, I'm sorry, but there is another important thing that we must talk about."

"What is it?" asked Scar, worried, eventhough he had a good guess of what would come next.

"Scar…" said Zira a little bit fearfully. "I still think that we should make Kisasian king after you… I mean, we don't even know if we will have other cubs. Why not make Kisasian the heir and finish with all this anger between him and us? It leaves me heartbroken to see him so angry with us."

With those words, Zira began crying on Scar's shoulder. Her mate sighed deeply, barely repressing his own tears, and then said with breaking voice: "Zira, it leaves me as heartbroken to see Kisasian like that as it leaves you. But it's just like I told… we can't make Kisasian king. At least, I can't... I just can't! He looks too much like me… and mainly… like my father! You saw very well what kind of a king my father was."

Zira said with decisive voice: "Your son is not your father. Just because he looks like your father doesn't mean that he has the same personality that your father has. Anyway, we can't have more cubs. What if they inherit something of my side of the family?"

"That's just what I want." said Scar. "One cub that inherits the most possible part of your side of the family, and nothing, or the least possible, of mine."

"Do you want your cubs to be murderers?" asked Zira, barely repressing her rage and sadness. "I already told you…"

"And I told you time and time again that you didn't kill your mother." said Scar, interrupting her. "It was just an accident."

"But…" said Zira, looking at Scar with tears on her eyes. "What would my father think? What would my brother and sister think?"

"If your father is a king as wise as you told me, I'm sure that he would agree that was all an accident, like I have been telling you. Zira, I love you, in spite of the accidents that you've done. And if knowing about your family is so important to you, why don't we both go to your old home, and speak with them?"

For a second, Zira even stopped crying, because her sadness was replaced by fear, and also by amaze. She couldn't believe that her mate would give such a crazy suggestion. It almost seemed too irrational for her on the first moments. When the queen finally regained her speech, she said to Scar, in a very scared voice: "We can't. What you would my father say when he discovered that his daughter returned after being lost for more than six years? He would…"

"If he is a king as wise as you told me, I bet that when he saw you, he would give his daughter a hug, and cry tears of joy for seeing you again. Why would he do any other thing than that?"

"But, when he discovered that I killed my mother, he would kill me! Literally!"

Scar sighed deeply, and said: "Listen, Zira, if your father is as wise as you told me, he'll understand very well that it was an accident. Now, I ask you again: do you want to go, or not? I can go with you, if you want. Whatever it happens, I'll be by your side. Don't worry."

Zira thought for some moments, but then she said, with breaking voice: "No, Scar, I can't go. I… don't think I can…"

"Alright…" said Scar, finally resignated. "I won't force you to go there, when you actually don't want."

She lied down for some seconds, cleaning her tears, while Scar nuzzled her. After some time, Zira finally got up, and then she said with more serious voice: "Anyway, we can't leave the pride, and the Pride Lands. Imagine that Sarabi and the others would plan any kind of mutiny and stop us from returning, once we got out of these lands? Monarchs can't abandon their pride, anyway. So, I don't think we really can go."

Scar decided that Zira was right. In fact, this was a problem that he had thought about while thinking if Zira would go to her old home. He couldn't abandon his mate, but he also couldn't abandon his pride. That was probably the most troubling decision that he ever had to make. Anyway, he was very happy for seeing that Zira behaved like a true queen, just like he expected.

But then, Scar decided to return to their previous talking theme. "Sorry, but I still say that we can't make Kisasian the heir. As for more cubs, they will come at the right time, don't get worried about that."

Scar sighed deeply and with a look full of sadness, and said, falling on the ground: "And besides, anyway, we now can't really make Kisasian king. Now we already don't have that option."

"Why do you say that?" asked Zira, confused.

"Look at him!" shouted Scar with breaking voice. "Look at what I've done! I left him completely heartbroken, and now, even if I changed my decision about the fact of him being king, he wouldn't want to hear me! He refuses to hear us... do you see how he looks at us each time that we come close to him? That's exactly the look that I had when I thought about what Mufasa had done to me when I looked at my reflection in the water, on the first days after he has done me to become Scar! What can we do now?"

Scar fell on the ground, heartbroken, and Zira said: "Scar… it leaves me as sad as you, but… there's nothing we can do now. If he doesn't even allow us to come close to him, how will he… well, you know what I mean, right?"

"And I even think I should call myself king!" said Scar, crying. "I…"

"You're ten times the king Mufasa was." said Zira, with certain voice. "I…"

"And you're an excellent queen." said Scar. "Now we must… we must sleep… maybe some kind of magical solution appears during our sleep."

And, with those words, Scar and Zira finally went down Pride Rock. At the entrance of the cave, they noticed their son, sleeping there, with a tranquile expression, almost the same that he had when he slept in the cave, at his mother's side.

Both Zira and Scar would give everything that they could give to make their son to want to hear them again, and hear their apologies, and make everything to turn back to what it was before. However, they couldn't even come close to their son and stroke him and hug him while he slept, because, eversince the time he began sleeping alone, he had sleep as light as a feather, and always that he was woken up suddenly, his first lession was only one of two: to slash, or to bite.

So, the king and the queen only watched their son with heavy hearts, and returned to the cave, in an attempt to sleep.

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Shani was lied down at her mother's side, but she wasn't sleeping peacefully, like usually. In fact, she wasn't sleeping at all, because Sarabi was moving very much on her sleep, stopping her daughter from having a solid support basis. So, the young cub was woken up, very sleepy, and she had noticed that Scar and Zira were returning from somewhere, and they seemed sad. Shani was also a little bit annoyed because she couldn't sleep. But then she remembered about Kisasian, who was sleeping outside, without anyone to hug him, and had to hunt his own food. Maybe he didn't have… but he did. He felt outcasted by everyone.

"And I can't blame him for that." thought Shani, sighing. "We all have been terrible to him, running away from him like if he has an illness, when it's a simple scar."

Right on that moment, Shani had an idea, an idea that never came to her mind before, but, on that night, for some reason, it came.

"What if I try to ask to Kisasian about my brother and father?" thought the golden cub.

Nobody of the pride wanted to speak too much about her deceased father and brother, probably for not to bring up sad times, but Shani wanted to know. After all, it was her father and her brother. But, because those who wanted to speak about him weren't too many, and even those who spoke didn't want to keep the theme during long enough for Shani to know anything worthy enough… well, the only one who actually hadn't spoke to her about Simba and Mufasa was Kisasian. So, she decided to risk.

The young golden cub walked outside, to the sleeping Kisasian. She walked to him, and found out that he was sleeping peacefully, in spite of being on hard rock, instead on his mother's paws. For a moment, she reconsidered the idea of waking him up, but later, on day light, he wouldn't be there. So, she tried.

Shani touched Kisasian softly with her paw, and surprisingly, the young green-eyed cub stood in a jump, ready to slash whoever had touched him with extended claws. But, when he saw who had woken him up, he hid his claws on the last moment. If his claws were still extended, he would probably have slashed Shani's left cheek very severely, maybe even rip off her eye, but he just sat down, and said, with angry and annoyed voice: "What do you want?"

But he was still a little bit surprised. Shani had never spoken to him before, she even seemed to be one of the cubs who ran away from him the most, so he asked, with a less angry, and more curious voice: "What do you want, Shani?"

She thought for some time before answering, trying to figure out the best way of a first contact. He wasn't reacting too badly, at least, he hadn't chased her away slashing and biting at that point. Considering the time that she had talked to him, it was a good progress. So, the violet-eyed cub began speaking: "Uh… I can't sleep…"

"I also can't sleep." said Kisasian, interrupting her, in an annoyed voice. "At least as long as you're speaking with me."

She felt a little bit sad. It seemed that it would be hard to speak with her cousin. But he said: "Alright, tell me what do you want."

Shani restarted the talking, a little bit hesitantly: "Like I said, I can't sleep… so, I… came to ask you one thing…"

"Ask then." said Kisasian, lying down, and resting his head on his front paws.

"He's willingly to hear my question." thought Shani, with a relief sigh. "That's good for a start."

And then, she said, a little bit fearfully: "Uh… could you tell me… about… Simba? And my father?"

Shani's words make her cousin to get so amazed that his angry stare almost disappeared. Before answering, he decided to think a little bit, but finally, he asked, with uncertain voice: "Wh… why do you ask me about that?... Why not to your mother… or Tojo… or Nala? I'm not sure that I am the best person to tell you about your father and brother."

And then, he said, with tears beginning to come out of his eyes, and almost shouted: "And so what? Talking about them won't ressurect them!"

But then, he said, this time crying seriously: "Well… I never knew your father too well… he seemed a good lion…. and Simba… Simba was my best friend… I would almost say only friend, if not for Tojo… and now…"

He began crying and sobbing again, with his face buried in his front paws, seemigly completely forgotten about Shani's presence. But, when he stopped crying, he asked: "And… and why have you come to ask me?"

"All the others refused to give me one answer." said Shani sadly. "No one wants to talk to me about Simba and my father… they gave that answer of speaking about them not bringing them back."

"It almost seems that they want to forget them." said Kisasian, wipping off tears.

But then, he said, lying down: "Anyway, Shani... I can't speak more about that. I don't know more that what I told you."

He lied down, and said, yawning: "Now let me sleep. And by the way, you should sleep as well."

With those words, he closed his eyes, but suddenly, Shani made something that amazed Kisasian. Before returning to the cave, she went to him and licked his left cheek.

"Uh… what are you doing?" asked Kisasian, blushing.

"Saying good night." replied Shani, blushing as well.

"I think that just saying "good night" would be enough." said Kisasian. "But…"

Kisasian also licked Shani's cheek, and said: "Good night, Shani."

"Good night, Kisasian." said Shani, returning to the cave.

When she entered the cave, she noticed that her mother was now sleeping peacefully, and now she could sleep normally at her mother's side. She cuddled against Sarabi, and yawned.

"After all, Kisasian is not so bad when we know him better." thought Shani, just an instant before falling asleep.

On that night, both the cubs slept peacefully.

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_Well, what did you think? How does Shani looks to you so far? Please, review! I still need opinions._


	39. Chapter 38: Attempts of reconcilling

_Well, here it comes another chapter. This one keeps on the Pride Lands... and it tells a little bit more about Shani and Kisasian. I hope you enjoy. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 38 – Attempts of reconciling**

On the next day, Kisasian woke up feeling unusually well. He didn't feel like that for a long time, probably since Simba's death. When he woke up at sunrise, he was feeling unusually happy. Normally he woke up rather grumpy, because, sleeping on that place was rather uncomfortable, or saying better, he could never sleep 'till late, because whatever was the position that he assumed, the rising sun always woke him up. But on that day, he was feeling happy, because the coming of the day would mean that he could play with Shani.

Or… had it all been a dream? Shani's visit… her questions about Simba… and Shani licking his cheek!

"That one has to be a dream, for sure." thought Kisasian bitterly. "No cub would even come close to me!"

It could very well be a dream, after all, Kisasian was very tired when that happened, he could have imagined things, but he decided that there was only one way to know if it was a dream or not. He had to wait until Shani woke up and passed by him. If it was a dream, she would just ignore him, like usually. But, if it wasn't, she would go to him, and tell him "good morning". He didn't want to hope more than that.

So, after some time, the adult members of the pride woke up, and while the hunting team went off, led by Zira, and Scar went on his usual patrol. Kisasian carefully avoided looking to his parents, and then the cubs also came out. The typical group of cubs, formed by all the cubs in the pride was coming out and going away to play.

Tojo said good morning to Kisasian, like he usually did, and Kisasian retributed on the same way. Then, all the cubs went away, except Shani, who stayed behind for some time, seemingly a little bit lost. Nala noticed that unusual attitude of her friend, and said: "Shani, come on! Let's play tag!"

"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you." said the golden cub, coming a little bit closer to Kisasian.

Nala noticed that, and said, this time a little bit more decisively: "Will you come, Shani? Why are you wasting your time with him?"

She stressed the word "him" like if it was an insult to the green-eyed cub. Kisasian said, a little bit angry: "For your information, you don't own Shani. She can do whatever she wants. If she wants to go with you, she will. If she wants to lose her time with me, she will. And besides, she doesn't want to waste her time. She just wants me to tell her a little bit about Simba."

"That's right." said Shani, without hesitating. That was precisely what she wanted from Kisasian, or at least, part of it.

"Shani…" said Nala, barely repressing a sob. "Listen… it's hard to admit… but Simba is…"

"Dead." concluded Shani, with a sad stare. "You are all sick of telling that to me…"

"No." interrupted Kisasian, calmly but decisively. "Simba is not dead. He will only be dead when we all forget about him."

"You don't understand!" said Nala, almost crying. "You…"

"I understand better than you think." said Kisasian. "Simba was also my best friend. Maybe I wasn't his, but he was mine. And, because of some… lack in friends when it comes to me… well, you know."

With those words, Kisasian began crying, and it didn't take too much time before Nala followed his example. Then, she said with a sob: "I forgot that Simba was also your friend… sorry."

Feeling too surprised to reply, Kisasian only nodded. Nala added: "Now I'll go. If you want to stay with him, Shani…"

And then, she turned her back without another word. Kisasian kept crying for the next moments. He only stopped when Shani, in an attempt to cheer him up, said: "Oh, come on, Kisasian. I didn't come here for you to cry. I come here… well, to know more about Simba, that's right, but also to ask if you want to play tag with me!"

"What?" asked Kisasian, confused.

It was the first time some cub actually invited him to play, so he was quite confused with what Shani meant. Shani came close to him, and said: "You run, I tag, get it?"

Kisasian thought for some time, and then he said, with a big smile: "I get it!"

Then, without any kind of warning, he pounced on Shani, pinned her on her back, and said happily: "Tag! You're it!"

And then he released Shani, but at the same time he ran away at full speed. For some moments, Shani was too amazed by two things: the speed of Kisasian when he pounced on her, and the fact that he pinned her on her back. Even as the youngest member of the pride, Shani was already the cub who pinned better. Seeing some other cub who did it better than her was amazing, but at the same time it was a challenge. And one of the things that Shani loved the most was challenges.

"You cheated!" shouted Shani, running happily after her cousin.

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On the end of the day, both the cubs returned to Pride Rock, still running. They were panting, but at the same time they were very happy. Kisasian particularly was happy as he had never been since the day of the terrible accident with Mufasa and Simba. The only time of the day when the two cubs weren't playing was when Shani had to go somewhere with her mother, a time that Kisasian used to hunt his meal. Eventhough he played with Shani and was happy, he kept his stubborness of not eating from the pride's huntings and sleeping outside the cave. Shani was a little bit confused and sad with that, but she decided that she couldn't change Kisasian in a whole day, and there were some things that she probably would never be able to change. At least, according to what she thought, she already had contributed to increase Kisasian's joy, and that was a good thing.

However, there was someone very angry when Kisasian and Shani arrived, very late, at Pride Rock. That someone was Sarabi. She had been waiting for Shani for the last hours, and she wasn't happy at her daughter's timing.

Kisasian and Shani passed through the hyenas, already seeing Sarabi.

"I wonder why mom is so angry." whispered Shani to Kisasian.

"It's because you're late." said one of the hyenas. "Your mom won't be happy."

That was true. When they finally got at Sarabi, Shani gave a quick "goodbye" to Kisasian, and then he went to another place. This time, instead of sleeping at the entrance of Pride Rock's cave, he went to the ledge where he normally stayed with his father and mother, on the old times, when his father wasn't king. It rather disliked him to go there, but, for some reason, on that night he decided to make the experience, to see if there he would be able to sleep 'till a little bit later.

Meanwhile, Shani was having a rather hard time with her mother.

"Why did you come home this late?" asked Sarabi, very angry. "You know very well that you can't come home this late! What have I told you about the hyenas? It's dangerous!"

"Sorry, mom…" said Shani, very sad. "I was… playing with Kisasian."

"What?" asked Sarabi, confused, but at the same time getting even angrier. "You know very well that I forbade you of playing with him!"

"But why can't I play with him?" asked Shani, for the first time replying to her mother, rather than listening to her quietly. She also had a rather angry voice: "Is it because of the curse that his scar brings upon him? The only curse of that scar is being casted out! And you don't care about him! Nobody cares about him!"

Sarabi had no need to think before keeping her lecture. For some seconds, she was surprised at seeing Shani opposing her, but she knew what to reply to that. She said: "No! It's because he is Scar and Zira's son!"

"But mom…" tried to reply Shani, with begging voice. "He is so lonely… what's the problem of giving him some company?"

"If he's lonely, that's all up to him! The problem is all his!" said Sarabi sternly.

"But I thought that, in a pride, we all had to care about the others!" said Shani.

"He's not part of our pride." said Sarabi. "Just like Scar and Zira weren't on his age, and will never be."

Shani was almost crying with her mother's talking, very sad with the idea of losing one of her best – eventhough it was also one of her most recent – friends. Sarabi understood that, and, for some time, she even felt some remorse for the idea of trying to place her daughter against Kisasian. But then, she said, this time in softer voice: "Shani, it's for your own good… believe me…"

"But mom…." said Shani. "… Kisasian is so lonely!"

Sarabi had an idea that came to her mind on the moment. That one would surely solve the problem. She said: "If he is lonely, why do you think it is? Because he did a very serious thing against his parents!"

Honestly, she wasn't lying here. Or better to say, she didn't know the reason for Kisasian's unusual behaviour. She hadn't seen anything. All that she knew was that on the morning, he was happy, and on the night on that same day, curiously, the day after Shani's birth, he was angry, and sleeping outside the cave. She simply told her own theory for that fact. But she was almost sure that her theory was the only explanation, or at least, the most likely.

Shani stopped crying almost immediately, and looked at her mother. She was confused, but at the same time, her mother's theory seemed the only explanation that she could accept. She wasn't seeing any other reason at all.

"Really?" asked Shani, wipping off the tears of her violet eyes.

"Yes." said Sarabi. "It's the only possible reason."

With those words, Shani finally said that she didn't want to speak more about Kisasian, she just wanted to eat and sleep. Sarabi licked her daughter's forehead affectionately, and took her to a piece of meat that she had saved for her.

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But someone had listened the talking of Sarabi with Shani. Or better to say, part of it. The one who listened was Mega, and the beginning of Sarabi's talking with Shani gave him an idea of Sarabi's talking with Shani gave him an idea that would possibly reconcile the two sides of the pride: those who supported Sarabi (almost the whole pride) and those who supported Scar and Zira (only Sakia, Uzuri, and himself).

He wasted no time in running to the other two supporters of Scar and Zira, (eventhough he probably should have listened the rest of the talking, for not to have vain hopes), and gave them the news.

"Sakia, Uzuri, may I speak with you?" asked Mega, when he found the two lionesses.

"Sure, Mega." said Uzuri, and Sakia nodded.

The two lionesses went outside the cave, and then Mega said: "I have an extremely important thing to talk with you."

"What is it?" asked Sakia.

"Well, let's say that I had an idea to reconcile both the sides of our pride." said the orange-maned lion.

"Both sides?" asked the greyfurred lioness.

"Don't pretend that you didn't notice, my dear." said Uzuri to Sakia. "The pride is divided. I don't think it is a pride anymore. It is divided between those who support Sarabi, and those who support Scar and Zira."

"But Scar and Zira are amazing monarchs!" said Sakia, like if she couldn't believe what her adopted mother said. "They are much better than Mufasa, or Ahadi…"

"Don't take the talking to Ahadi, please." said Mega. "He could have been a much better king, if not for…"

He stopped, and said: "Never mind."

But he had made a slight mistake, by almost telling about Ahadi's past, because now the two lionesses were very curious.

"For what?" asked Uzuri, feeling curiosity taking her over. "For what, Mega?"

"I don't want to talk about it." said the lion. "And besides, I didn't come here to speak about Ahadi."

"That's right." admitted Sakia.

Uzuri began speaking again: "My child, everything that you said about Scar and Zira is true. But the pride is afraid, because their ways of rulling are rather unusual, like Scar said sometimes "against the Circle of Life". They are in a way, better, but the pride is afraid of the unknown. But now, you said that you have some idea, right Mega?"

"Right." said the old lion. "Like I was saying, I noticed that Shani was being scolded by Sarabi, because she became friends with Kisasian."

"And what's the problem?" asked Sakia, confused. "The poor cub deserves, not one, but lots of friends!"

"I agree with that." said Mega. Then he added with barely hidden enthusiasm: "But the matter is that, if they keep being friends, in the future, we can ask to Scar to make them married. In that way, both the sides of the pride would have their monarch on the throne, and we would have the pride reconciled and united! Maybe not totally, but it would be an important step!"

"That's a wonderful idea, Mega!" said Sakia.

But then, her ears lowered, and she said, sadly: "You forgot one point. Shani and Kisasian are cousins. That makes them too closely related to be married. Marriage between so close relatives is considered unvalid…"

"If the king under which reign they are married doesn't approve it." completed Mega. "If Scar approves, their wedding will be valid."

"You seem to have thought about everything." said Uzuri with some admire for the lion. "But how do you know so much about legal stuff of the Pride Lands?"

"I learned from Mohatu and Zuzu." said Mega.

"And how could you stand Zuzu's lectures?" asked Sakia, feeling a wave of admire for the orange-maned lion. "Zuzu's lectures were extremely long!"

"But there were some important things hidden in the middle of her lectures." said Mega. "Now, the plan is this: you two speak with Scar and Zira, I speak with Sarabi. Let's ask the Great Kings of the Past for that plan to work!"

The lion and the two lionesses looked at "The Brightest Star" and make a short prayer. After that, all of them went to do their parts of the plan.

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"What should we think of it?" asked Mohatu to Ajizi.

Both the lions were watching Pride Rock, and Mohatu was rather impressed with Mega's idea. But he wanted to ask the opinion of Ajizi.

"I don't know." said Ahadi's father. "Mega always tried to appease the problems, eventhough he didn't always succeed. Oh… what I would give to be able to show myself and explain everything to them!"

Mohatu was about to speak with him, but the golden-furred ghost said: "I know very well that, as Sky-Arbitrer, I can't interfere. But maybe you can? You're Scar's grandfather…"

"You are as well." interrupted Mohatu.

"Maybe you can try something like showing to one of his dreams?" asked Ajizi. "If I manage to make Ahadi… oh, no… I'm not sure that he would solve the things in the best way…"

"It's not very kind to talk about your own son like that." said Mohatu.

"I know that!" said the rogue ghost. "But I, and all of us, can't think just about one particular lion! We must think about everyone down there! We can't create more chaos with bad interferences!"

"So, any idea for now?" asked Mohatu. "My own brain isn't giving me any idea at all."

"Mine also isn't." said Ajizi. "Now, the only thing we can do is to watch if Mega's idea is going to work."

So, the two ghosts returned to watching Pride Rock.

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"Sarabi." asked Mega, touching the former queen gently with his paw. "May we speak?"

The sleeping lioness opened her eyes, and asked with sleepy voice: "What is it, Mega?"

"I want to speak with you now." said the lion. And, before Sarabi could reply, he said with begging voice: "Now. Please."

Sarabi wanted to reply to that. She felt tired, she thought that wasn't the best time to speak. But she understood from Mega's voice that he had an actually important matter to speak with her, and thought it would be better to solve that on the moment. She got up, and said: "Alright, Mega. Wait for me outside. I'll meet you in a moment."

Mega nodded, and went outside, waiting patiently for Sarabi. Some moments later, after leaving Shani under the care of Sarafina, the former queen went to meet Mega. She asked: "What do you want, Mega?"

The lion hesitated for some time. He would have to choose very well the words that he would use, otherwise the idea would go completely ruined.

He said very slowly: "Uh… Sarabi… I listened to you scolding Shani for playing with Kisasian…"

"That's the most normal thing." replied Sarabi, without allowing Mega to complete the sentence. "I don't allow Shani to play with the son of those…"

She lowered her voice, and whispered: "…outsiders."

"This will be hard." thought Mega, passing his paw through his neck in a gesture of hopelesness.

But he tried again: "But think for some time. If Kisasian and Shani keep being friends, maybe in the future we could…"

Sarabi guessed what Mega would say. He was suggesting that, when Kisasian and Shani were adults, maybe they could be married. He had to be crazy!

"Are you insane?" asked Sarabi. "I will never leave my daughter to marry with an outsider! Understand?"

"But…" tried to reply Mega.

"There are no buts or half-buts! She won't and that's final! As Shani's mother, I say that she won't!"

Mega lowered his head, while Sarabi returned to the cave to sleep. She said, before leaving: "And on the next time you want to wake someone up, make sure that what you have to say is important!"

Mega thought: "The plan failed. But who knows, maybe Sakia and Uzuri had some luck… that doesn't matter anyway, because without Sarabi's agreement, the plan is ruined."

Mega got up, and went to see if Sakia and Uzuri had better results. Now it didn't make any difference, but yet he had some curiosity.

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Just as Mega went to wake up Sarabi, Sakia and Uzuri went to wake up Scar and Zira, to see if they agreed with the plan. They went to one of the back chambers of the cave, where Scar and Zira slept, even after becoming the royal couple, and began their duty.

"Zira, my dear…" whispered Uzuri, touching her adopted daughter with her paw. "Wake up, please."

Zira got up, and yawned. She looked sleepily at Uzuri, and said: "What's up, Uzuri?"

Meanwhile, Sakia had woken up Scar, who also yawned, and said: "What is it? What do you want from us?"

"Well…" said Sakia hesitantly. "Maybe you noticed… probably you noticed… that most of the pride doesn't support you two as monarchs."

"Tell us something that we don't know." replied Scar.

"But…" began Uzuri. "We have an idea to solve that problem."

The four lions were without speaking for some moments, until Zira said with somewhat playful voice: "That's something we don't know."

"Speak." said Scar. "Tell us your idea."

"The idea wasn't in fact ours." said Sakia. "It was Mega's. He sent us to propose it to you. He went to propose it to Sarabi."

"The idea is this." said Uzuri. "We noticed that, when Shani arrived, we heard that… she had been playing with Kisasian, and they had lots of fun. Kisasian was even smiling."

"Really?" asked Scar and Zira in unison.

Both were thinking the same thing. It was very good that their son was happy, in fact, neither of them could recall having seen him smiling since the last four months. And they were happy for that, even if it was thanks to Sarabi and Mufasa's daughter.

"And… Mega had an idea." said Sakia. "He said that, if Kisasian and Shani keep being good friends until they are adults, they could get married."

The idea fell on Scar and Zira like a heavy stone, and they dropped their jaws in amazement. For the next moments, they weren't replying, and Uzuri used that to speak: "I know that in theory they are cousins, but, according to what Mega told me, the law says that, even in those cases, the approval of the current monarch makes that wedding as valid as any other."

"And so, what do you say?" asked Sakia hopefully. "Will you accept?"

Scar thought for some seconds, and then, he and Zira began whispering to each other. Sakia and Uzuri had an enormous will of coming closer to them, but their education made them to wait patiently. After some time, Scar said: "If that will make Kisasian happy, when he is an adult, I will accept. I want my son to be happy."

"Even if it is with Sarabi's daughter." said Zira, extending her claws. It became obvious that she accepted, but she didn't praise the idea.

"But, anyway, that plan won't work." said Scar. "I'm sorry, but that idea will fail."

"Why, Scar?" asked Mega, who had just arrived.

The lion and the three lionesses turned to Mega, and Sakia asked: "What Sarabi said?"

"I will tell you when Scar says why the idea doesn't work." said the older lion.

There was silence for some time, until Scar finally spoke again.

"The idea will fail because I don't want to make Kisasian king." said Scar shortly.

The lions dropped their jaws in amazement. Their main question was: "If Scar wouldn't make Kisasian king, who would be the king after him?" And besides, what were his reasons for not to make Kisasian king?

Mega asked the first question, and Scar replied: "The future king, or queen, will be one of the next cubs of Zira."

Sakia thought that, if Zira would have more cubs, the problem would be solved. But her curiosity made her to ask another question: "And… why don't you want to make Kisasian king? He's the oldest of your cubs!"

"According to the law, the king can make any of his cubs – or any of his queen's cubs – the heir." said Scar, with a voice that expressed that he didn't like the talking. "Kisasian won't be king because he inherited too much of my side of the family. He looks too much like my father, and at the same time like Mufasa."

"I see…" said Sakia.

But another thought came to her mind, and she asked: "So, that's why Kisasian is so angry at you two?"

"Yes…" replied Zira, almost crying. "He thought that, because we weren't making him the heir, we were neglecting him."

"In a way, you possibly were." said Uzuri. "What words did you use to tell him that?"

Scar said: "Sorry, Uzuri, but I don't want to speak about that. The point is that Kisasian looks too much like my father, so he wouldn't make a good king. Look at my father! Look at the king that he was!"

Sakia and Uzuri wanted to reply, but Mega said: "Alright. Anyway, it wouldn't work, because Sarabi said that she doesn't approve it. She said that she doesn't want her daughter married with the son of the…"

Mega seemed afraid of saying the last word, but he managed to whisper: "…outsiders."

Scar and Zira gasped at that word, and it seemed that they were about to scream. For some moments, it even seemed that Scar wanted to hit Sarabi for him having called such a name to them. But he managed to say, in a somewhat calm voice: "Alright. If you don't have anything more to tell us, you may go."

Mega, Sakia, and Uzuri bowed, and then they left Scar and Zira's chamber. The royal couple soon fell asleep again, eventhough their night was rather untranquile.

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"Well…" said Ajizi. "Failed attempt."

"So it seems." said Mohatu. "Now, what can we do?"

"I don't know, my friend." said Ajizi. "Sorry for me being a Sky-Arbitrer with quite bad imagination."

"It's not bad." said Mohatu. "Even I don't know what to do. We could try to ask it to your son, or my daughter…"

"But I don't think that any of them would solve the matter in a good way." said Ajizi. "We will have to think for some more time."

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On the next morning, Kisasian woke up later than usual, probably only because on his new sleeping place the sun didn't hit him on his face on the morning. So, he had actually slept well, and was incredibly happy, because now he was sure that Shani's attitude towards him hadn't been any dream. And now, he would have another day of playing.

"My life is going rather well." said Kisasian in mind. "I have only one new friend, but she is the best friend of the world!"

And then, Kisasian listened the sound of someone breathing. For the sound of the breathing, it was probably a cub. It should be Shani!

Kisasian ran happily to meet her, but he stopped when he saw Shani. He noticed that she wasn't happy. His smile faded, and his ears lowered.

"What happened, Shani?" asked Kisasian, worried. "Why are you like that?"

Shani thought a lot before speaking. She wanted to say to Kisasian that they couldn't be friends, but she didn't know how to say it without hurting his feelings. But she eventually said, with very hesitant and sad voice: "Kisasian… my mother… forbade me of playing with you…"

Those words make Kisasian to feel like if someone had grabbed his heart very tight, and was crushing it! Why it had to be? Always that something that made him happy appeared, there had to be something that took it away from him! And the thing even got worst when Shani said: "Or having any kind of relationship with you… so… I…"

Kisasian didn't believe what she had told. She told that she was trying to stop to be his friend! Only because of what her mother had told! He couldn't believe! Everyone was despising him! Even Shani!

"You came here to tell me that you want to stop being my friend?" asked Kisasian, very angry. "You came here to tell that you despise me so much that you'll blindly obey your mother?"

Shani wanted to reply that it wasn't that. In spite of what her mother had told, Shani still thought of Kisasian as a good friend. In fact, she already had a cubbish crush on him, in spite of only knowing him for a day… and in spite of her logic telling her that Kisasian was her cousin, so she shouldn't fall in love with him. But, before she could do it, Kisasian, completely heartbroken, ran past her, and, when he passed close to her, shouted: "I HATE YOU! I HATE EVERY MEMBER OF THIS DAMMED PRIDE!"

And then he began running even faster.

"Kisasian!" shouted Shani with begging voice. "Please…"

"Leave me alone!" shouted Kisasian, before disappearing in the distance.

Shani collapsed to the ground, crying. That wasn't what she wanted to say, but Kisasian hadn't let her finish. But now, she could only lift her head hopelessly to watch her cousin going away, and hoping that he would stop. Kisasian didn't stop, but he was barely seeing where he was running, because his tears stopped him from seeing.

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Much to Shani's, Scar's, and Zira's relief, Kisasian returned that night. But everyone noticed the change in him. He was even angrier than usual, and that was obvious when he shouted to several hyenas to come out of his way, and, when they remained where they were and replied that he had no education, he bit them and slashed them angrily. The scavengers got so scared that they instantly ran away from Kisasian. They were much bigger than him, but seeing such an aggressive behaviour on a cub would leave anyone very scared..

Shenzi went to complain about that to Scar and Zira, but they had no patience for that.

"You need to have some control on your son!" shouted the clan-leader. "He was biting and slashing several hyenas of our clan!"

"And what can we do?" asked Zira, angry. "No one can talk to him without being slashed or bitten, or, in the best of chances, driven away by Kisasian's screams!"

"Not even you?" asked Shenzi, confused.

"Especially not us." said Scar. "And, if you're so worried, tell to your clan to avoid my son."

"Who do you think that we are to avoid a single cub?" asked Shenzi, shocked.

"You are very wise persons who know that, with only some words, I have the power to punish you for what you've done to my father and Mimea. I'm only saying the hyenas to stay away from my son. Rather reasonable, don't you think?" asked Scar.

Shenzi had to admit that Scar was being extremely reasonable, considering that he had allowed the murderers of his father to stay there, so she only bowed, and went to communicate that to the order hyenas.

That night was another night that Scar and Zira spent without sleeping, and another night that Kisasian, in spite of being in a place more protected from the morning sun, spent crying.

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_What did you think? I know that some of you still may be very disappointed with Shani... but after all, she's only a cub. Probably you are even sadder about Kisasian... but whatever, please, review!_


	40. Chapter 39: Confrontations

_Hello. After two chapters on the Pride Lands... I return to the jungle. Maybe some of you are more interested on what happens on the Pride Lands... and some of you are more interested in the jungle... but now, I'll introduce you this chapter. Probably, most of ou will end up surprised... but I hope to surprise you in a positive way. Haba (female) is my character, and is not to be used without my permission. Now that's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 39 – Confrontations**

Simba woke up when a sunbeam passed through the tops of the huge trees of the jungle and hit his eyes. At first, he didn't want to open his eyes, because he was sleeping very well. He could still hear Timon's low snores over Pumbaa's loud snores, but he was already used to it.

He got up and yawned, shaking his head, where his mane had already begun growing. It would be another day like his usual days, ever since Mkalimu had appeared in his life. Part of the day would be passed with him learning how to hunt with Mkalimu, and the other part of it having his moment of fun with Timon and Pumbaa. It was, at least according to Mkalimu, a good balance. After having his moment of learning and seriousness, he could have some moments of playing.

Simba yawned, and opened his eyes. He still slept on Timon and Pumbaa's belly, but he was getting big, and probably he wouldn't take much time before the meerkat and the warthog became the ones who slept on his belly. Mkalimu said that Simba was already big enough to sleep separated from Timon and Pumbaa, but, always that he slept without hugging his two friends, he had nightmares.

Mkalimu suggested that Simba could sleep with her, but they couldn't sleep normally on a tree branch, and the leopardess didn't dare to sleep on the ground. It was only a matter of principle, and instinct. She felt much safer on the trees, however she had to leave them. So, Simba kept sleeping with Timon and Pumbaa.

Simba raised his head, and jumped of Pumbaa's belly, being careful enough for not to press too hard. Timon woke up, and rubbed his head, saying with sleepy voice: "Good-morning, Simba."

"Hey, Timon." said Simba, who seemed wide-awake. "Hi, Pumbaa."

"Good-day, Simba." said the warthog, with the same sleepy voice of the meerkat.

Soon, Simba noticed that he wasn't the only one who wasn't sleeping. Mkalimu went down the tree with an amazing speed, and she, like the young lion, seemed way more woken up than the two friends, who were already getting ready to sleep again. But, before that, they still wanted to say goodbye to their adopted son.

"Goodbye, Simba." said Timon, with sleepy voice, making himself comfortable on the warthog's belly. "See ya, Mkalimu."

"See ya later, Simba." said Pumbaa, with not as sleepy voice. "Bye, Mkalimu."

"See you later, Timon and Pumbaa." said Simba, with a smile. "Have a nice sleep!"

It didn't take much time before Timon and Pumbaa were asleep again. Simba smiled at them, and then he turned to Mkalimu. She asked: "Alright, Simba, are you ready for your hunting lessons?"

"Of course." said Simba, smiling. "What will we do today?"

"First of all, let's go to the plain." said the leopardess. "Today, we keep the practice on the plain."

And so, the two big cats went away, leaving the meerkat and the warthog sleeping peacefully.

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After some time, Simba and Mkalimu were out of the jungle, and hidden on the high grass of the plain, looking for a prey that would serve as Simba's meal. They were seeing a sounder, but Simba didn't want to hunt warthogs. It was all a matter of respect towards Pumbaa, and Mkalimu understood that. So, they turned instead to a herd of impalas. Impalas were hard prey, they were fast, and they were very nervous, running away at the slightest unusual sound that they noticed.

So, Mkalimu considered them as good prey for a young lion to practice sneaking, because, according to her, the harder part was to sneak towards a prey. If that part was done, dominating the prey would be a little bit easier, but it was always necessary to have all the cautions, because any kind of prey, even those who seem more helpless, could defend itself in unexpected ways.

"Now, remember very well." whispered Mkalimu, while Simba kept his eyes focused on one of the impalas. "You must work with all of your senses together. You must keep your eyes focused on your prey, and you must feel very well where do you step, for not to crush any stick. The slightest sound can attract the attention of your prey, and scare it away. Mainly, don't be impatient, because if you try to be too fast, it is more likely that your prey is scared."

Simba was listening to Mkalimu's instructions, while walking very slowly towards the impalas, with Mkalimu sneaking at his side. For the moment, both Simba and the leopardess could hide very well, but it would come a time when Simba would have problems to sneak, and Mkalimu not. Lions are much heavier than leopards, and, as an adult lion, Simba would surely have bigger problems to remain hidden while sneaking for preys. That was the reason why Mkalimu thought that sneak with preys of sharp senses was a good training for the lion.

After some time, and infinite patience, they were fourty meters away from the impalas. That was still too far for them to run towards the direction of the scaredy antelopes. So, Simba and Mkalimu just remained very still, hoping that one of the antelopes would come closer to them, so that they could get him.

But, suddenly, some wind began blowing. Simba and Mkalimu got with tensed muscles, hoping that the wind wouldn't take their scents to the noses of the impalas and make them to run away. However, the wind didn't take the scents to that direction and their prey remained tranquile, eventhough they kept lifting their heads and ears from time to time to see if any predator approached.

On that moment, a young male stepped away from the main group, and walked towards Simba and Mkalimu, trying to look for slightly greener grass.

"That will be our target." said Mkalimu, whispering so much that Simba almost had to read her lips. "You will attack first, and you must block his way to join to the herd."

Mkalimu inhaled deeply to regain her breath, and said: "If you block his way, he will run towards me. And, when that happens, I will kill him. Understand?"

"Yes…" said Simba, beginning to go to a different position.

"But first, wait until he is a little bit closer to us." said the leopardess, and Simba stopped. "Don't waste your energy, and don't be impatient. One false move, and…"

However, Mkalimu didn't say what would happen if Simba made one false move, because on that time, both of them heard a sound that looked a little bit like some kind of light thunder. And it was coming closer to them. Looking around, they couldn't see the danger, so they got up, and turned their heads towards the sound, to see it's origin.

When the two predators raised their heads, all the impalas ran away, terrified, but neither Simba nor Mkalimu were paying attention to that, completely focused on the horror that was coming towards them.

A black rhinoceros was charging at the two felines with lowered head and, what was even worst, the horn of the animal was pointed at them, ready to kill. It was a vision so scary that both Simba and Mkalimu took some seconds to react to the huge animal charging towards them. They only avoided the huge animal's charge on the last second, and Mkalimu almost was hit by the deadly horn of the pachyderm.

However, that gave them some more time to recover after landing. Both were curious about how the rhinoceros had remained unseen by them, because if they had noticed the animal, they wouldn't have hunted so close of the enraged rhinoceros.

But they saw a bush, with some of it's branches broken, and Simba deduced that probably the rhinoceros had been feeding on it, and remained hidden until she noticed their scent. And, what was even worst, Simba noticed a young calf, running towards his mother, which made her extremely dangerous. Eventhough neither the lion cub nor the leopardess had tried to eat the calf, a female rhinoceros doesn't admit the presence of predators close to her young. Simba remembered of the wind that had blown a moments ago, and wondered if the wind had taken his and Mkalimu's scents to the female rhinoceros, and made her enraged and scared of what they would do at her calf. Neither Simba nor Mkalimu had threatened her, but generally all the mothers are very afraid of what might happen of bad to her cubs.

The adult female waited until her son hid behind her, and then she charged at full speed towards Simba. The lion cub didn't waste any more time, and ran away, terrified, with the huge rhinoceros chasing him.

Simba was running with all of his speed, but the rhinoceros was persistant, and didn't tolerate predators close to her young. What was even worst, she was gaining ground. Unfortunately, after just a few seconds of running, Simba tripped on something and fell. The huge beast lowered her head, with the huge horn ready to trespass the young lion. Simba avoided the enraged animal on the last moment, but the sharp front horn slashed one of Simba's paws and also his side. None of the cuts was deep enough to leave a scar in the future, but both were extremely painful for the young lion and made him to collapse on the ground from shock.

The rhinoceros turned back on him and began charging again. However, before she managed to start running, Mkalimu pounced on her with full extended claws. But because the leopardess's claws weren't used to penetrate the extremely thick skin of the rhinoceros, Mkalimu slipped of the huge animal's back and fell on the ground.

The mother rhinoceros ignored her and ran towards Simba again. The young lion was still on the ground, without having prevailed the shock caused by the attack of the enraged mother - and was seeing the pachyderm running towards him with lowered head and horn - ready to pierce through him.

"Help me!" shouted Simba in mind.

He wanted to scream - but his voice seemed to have disappared with fear, so he only shouted in mind: "Someone, please help me!"

But the rhinoceros kept charging towards him, and Simba - still unable to get up - only could look helplessly at the huge animal.

However - only some seconds before the angry mother could pierce Simba with her horn - Mkalimu jumped on her again, shouting: "Don't you dare touch him!"

This time, more aware of the thickness of the rhinoceros's skin, Mkalimu aimed at the neck of the huge animal were her claws would plunge the pachyderm's flesh and skin easier. And the leopardess was right, because the rhinoceros screamed of pain. Simba didn't waste any time in standing aside of the way of the rhinoceros, but Mkalimu didn't hold for long, because the rhinoceros shook her neck with all her strenght, throwing the leopardess to the ground. Mkalimu managed to land safely on her four paws, but that didn't make invalid that she had to run away, at least until she got far enough of the enraged female for she not to consider the leopardess a threat to her calf. The calf ran after his mother, not wanting to get separated of her.

Simba – still scared and shocked - tried the only thing that seemed reasonable to him: speed up towards the jungle.

"My only hope is to find Timon and Pumbaa and make them to help Mkalimu!" thought the lion cub, running to the sleeping place of his two friends. "Maybe the three of us can have some hope of defeating the rhinoceros!"

It was still a very vain hope, but surely bigger than the one that Mkalimu had. However, Simba was too worried seeing if Mkalimu hadn't been injured or killed by the rhinoceros - which had both disappeared - to pay enough attention to the way. That fact made him to bump incidentally into something.

Simba stopped and looked to the animal that he had hit. He got even more scared than he was before – if that was possible. The young lion discovered that the animal was a warthog, but that one was completely different from Pumbaa. That warthog had black fur, unlike Pumbaa's crimson fur. Instead of Pumbaa's gentle smile, this one seemed permanently angry. Besides, that warthog was bigger and more muscled than Pumbaa.

The enraged suine pinned Simba to the ground with all his mass, shouting with angry voice: "Why did you bump at me?"

"I'm extremely sorry." said Simba, quivering with fear. "Please, let me…"

"He seems lost." interrupted an older warthog, looking very much like the one who was holding Simba, but a little bit smaller. He also seemed old enough to be father of the younger one. "Maybe we should…"

"What?" interrupted another warthog of the sounder with brown fur and a big scar on his face. "Take him to his pride? For what? For them to have us as a meal? It almost seems that you don't know how predators are!"

"But won't they be grateful for we having saved their pridemember?" asked a female warthog with pale-brown fur.

"They will probably be even more grateful to their son for having brought them a meal easy to catch!" said the warthog that was holding Simba. "We can't let him go!"

Simba was so terrified that he wasn't even fighting to release himself of the enraged suine, was only quivering.

"So, what will we do?" asked a random male warthog. Simba couldn't distinguish which one of them had spoken.

"KILL HIM!" shouted the one who held Simba - and was obviously the leader of the sounder. "Some of you run to him and kill him! For my mate and son, who were killed by lions!"

But the words of the huge black warthog gave to Simba a sudden impulse of running for his life. Extending the claws of his left front paw, he slashed at random desperately, hoping to hurt the warthog enough to escape from him. The young lion managed to hit the warthog's snout, which made the suine to yelp from pain.

Simba used the precious moments that the warthog spent yelping to slip from under him and run away at full speed. However, he was so scared that he chose badly the direction to where he ran away. Instead of going to the jungle, he returned deep into the plain.

But the leader of the sounder also didn't stay still when he saw the young golden lion escaping.

"Get him!" shouted the enraged warthog with four paralel red marks on his snout. "Get him, but don't kill him! I will do that part!"

The whole sounder obeyed to the leader, eventhough some of them, like the older warthog with black fur and the female of the same age with pale-brown fur, hesitated a little bit before doing it.

"Now, I have to get away of those crazy warthogs. Then I must get Timon and Pumbaa, then find out where Mkalimu is, hoping that she is still alive… oh, why do I always bring problems upon those who surround me? Oh, anyway, I can't worry myself with more than one thing at the same time, like my father…"

He stopped thinking on that time, before his mind screamed more unpleasant memories, and just focused on running away and trying to trick the furious suines. But, maybe unwisely, he decided to use another resource, one that could always be used. He screamed: "HELP ME! PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP ME!"

But Simba soon realized that most likely it was a mistake to do it, because of two things. One was that he wasted precious breath to run further, the other was that the warthogs seemed to gain speed and killing motivation with his screams. Even the hesitant ones seemed to follow the rule.

So, Simba just focused on running faster, however, he didn't loose the hope that his screams where listened by someone. The goldenfurred lion also kept praying for help in mind.

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Simba's screams were listened, but the one who heard couldn't help the young cub - at least for the moment. Mkalimu had managed to escape from the enraged female rhinoceros, almost unharmed except for a small cut on her side, made by the horn of the rhinoceros when Mkalimu lost her balance temporarially. The wound was bleeding a little - but not badly - and probably it wouldn't infect. But her cut wasn't the biggest worry that she was facing.

In order to escape to the angry mother, she had to climb to a tree - and also to choose a tree solid enough for not to be tore off the ground by the pachyderm. However, both the female rhinoceros and her calf were at the base of the tree, waiting for Mkalimu to come down.

She was thinking fast, hoping to find a way out of that tree without getting killed by the rhinoceros. She could jump of the tree, but there was no guarantee that she would be able to pass by the angry rhinoceros alive.

Suddenly, the attitude of the mother changed. She finally turned to her calf, and nuzzled her, carefully for not to poke him with her horn, only showing relief for her calf to be alright. Then they did a surprising thing. Both ignored Mkalimu - but anyway the following actions of the rhinoceroses weren't helping the leopardess escaping.

The adult female seemed to decide that the tree was a good place to sleep in the shade, lying down under the tree with her calf close to her.

"Damn it!" thought Mkalimu. "How do I get down and go help Simba without waking up those rhinos?"

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Fortunately for Simba, Mkalimu wasn't the only one who listened to his screams. Timon and Pumbaa also listened. Fortunately, both of them were on the edge of the jungle, looking for bugs under a tree trunk that they had noticed on the previous day. And they were enough close to hear Simba's screams. Well, not as screams - more as whispers - but both of them understood the message.

Eventhough the two friends gave quite some priority to their own needs, they didn't hesitate in placing them on second place when it came to help Simba.

Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, saying decisevely: "Our boy is in danger, big fella! The bugs are for later!"

"Of course!" said Pumbaa in a simmilar voice, dropping the trunk - and making him to fall on the ground with a sound of dead leaves crushing.

Pumbaa (carrying Timon), ran towards the screams. Timon shouted with all his might, while grabbing Pumbaa's ears: "Don't be afraid, Simba! Uncles Timon and Pumbaa are coming!"

Pumbaa speeded up as much as he was able to, scaring away some of the smaller animals.

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Mkalimu started to going down the tree, for not to alert the sleeping pachyderms. She knew by experience that rhinoceroses have extremely poor vision, but they pay back the poor vision with sharp senses of smell and hearing. So, it would be hard to her to sneak away without being noticed, even considering that leopards are masters on walking soundlessly.

So, she just went down very carefully, for not to tear off small pieces of wood that would fall on the rhinoceroses, and probably alert them, because pachyderms, even being among the heavier creatures of the world, have generally sleep light as a feather.

When Mkalimu came lower, she understood that it would be difficult, because almost the whole tree was surrounded by the huge body of the mother and the smaller body of the calf, but she had a small area of ground, close enough for she to jump to it.

So, Mkalimu moved very silently. When the proper height and time came, she jumped to the ground, landing almost soundlessly close to the belly of the pachyderm. The rhinoceros stirred in her sleep, but she didn't wake up. When Mkalimu saw that, she began moving away slowly, for not to wake up the nervous animal.

Unfortunately, right on that time, some wind blew the leopardess's scent into the nostrils of the mother rhinoceros. When Mkalimu felt the wind, she instantly speeded up, at the same time going to the direction of Simba's screams. The mother got up lazily, but ready to protect her son. However, when she noticed that the predator was already far enough for not to be a threat - and was even running away - she just stood her ground for the next seconds. After noticing that Mkalimu wouldn't attack again, she lied down again, not taking too much time before she fell asleep again.

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Meanwhile, Simba was in big trouble. The enraged warthogs had managed to surround him and the biggest place that wasn't surrounded by enraged suines was covered by a huge bush covered with big thorns, that Simba wouldn't surely be able to cross alive – or at least in one piece.

"I'm done for!" thought Simba, terrified. "I gotta do something! But how can I run away from here?"

Honestly speaking, Simba was seeing some gaps on the circle formed by the sounder, but he was also seeing that he wouldn't manage to run away by those places without being blocked.

And now, the black and muscled warthog was coming close to Simba, ready for the final blow, formed by a frontal charge with tusks directed forward. If he managed to hit the target, it was almost sure that Simba would die.

The young lion tried to analise his options, but he only found two. Stand aside on the last moment, making the warthog to hit the bush and be killed by the other warthogs, or let the leader of the sounder to hit him and kill him at once.

Unfortunately, before he could choose, the warthog began his deadly charge to kill Simba.

"Help!" shouted Simba in mind. "Help, please!"

And suddenly, like if a miracle had happened, his call was answered. He heard two well known voices shouting with full might: "Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah!"

That shout made the warthogs to stop and look, and even the charging warthog stopped to see who had screamed. Which was a very big mistake for him. Simba on the other paw, couldn't help but to make a relief sigh.

Pumbaa (with Timon on his back) was charging at his black compatriot at full speed, just like the first warthog was doing to Simba. Because the other suine was still, Pumbaa managed to hit the targed, and the black warthog was pushed several meters aside, collapsing to the ground. However, the impact also made Pumbaa to fall. He was alright, just a little bit shocked and with his snout and left tusk dirty.

Both Timon and Simba tried to lift him, with Simba saying: "Thank you, Pumbaa… thank you…"

The other warthogs were too amazed with Pumbaa's sudden intervention to do anything, either to help their leader or to kill the interrupters. But suddenly, the problem solved itself, when the black warthog that Pumbaa had attacked got up. He also seemed almost unharmed, except for a wound on his right shoulder, in the place where Pumbaa had rammed one of his tusks. It was neither fatal nor disabling, but painful enough for the warthog take some time to get up. And, when he saw who had hit him, he said, with a voice full of hatred: "Pumbaa…"

Pumbaa, with his left tusk dirty with blood, began speaking to the other warthog, but with an amazed - and somewhat scared - voice.

"Gwasi?" asked Pumbaa.

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For the following seconds, nobody spoke or even moved, except Simba, who hid behind Pumbaa with a terrified expression and Timon, who scratched his head in confusion, wondering who were all those warthogs, and how Pumbaa knew the black one. The only sound listened was the light breeze blowing through the grass and the leaves of trees and bushes. Somehow, all the warthogs – except for some of the younger piglets – had recognized Pumbaa, but this wasn't surely the same that had left the sounder more than a year ago. Pumbaa they knew would never attack Gwasi, even in self-defence, he was always too afraid of the black warthog to do it. However, he had attacked the leader of the sounder, in defence of a lion cub! Another amazing fact was soon noticed - he carried a meerkat on his back! No creature that they recalled, except of the other warthogs, had so far accepted to come even close to Pumbaa! And now he carried a meerkat on his back!

But the fact of Pumbaa carrying a meerkat was nothing compared to the even stranger sight of the young lion who was hiding scaredly behind the crimson warthog and the fact of Pumbaa standing in front of the young lion like if he was prepared to defend him, eventhough a careful watcher could see some fear in the warthog's eyes. He surely had changed a lot.

While the other warthogs kept thinking about how much their former sounder-member had actually changed, Pumbaa was feeling rather scared while he looked at Gwasi. He almost felt a shiver of fear when he remembered that he had actually charged at the black warthog, but he tried not to show it, and standing bravely to protect both Simba and Timon. However, he was feeling very scared because he knew that he had little chances of winning a fight against Gwasi. However, now that it had begun, there was no way back.

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Without anyone noticing it, Mkalimu had arrived, ready to protect Simba, when she noticed that Timon and Pumbaa had arrived before her, knocking out the black warthog. The leopardess also saw Simba hiding behind Pumbaa and the hateful glance that the bigger suine – who was named Gwasi, according to what she heard – gave to Pumbaa, making the crimson warthog to quiver with fear.

Noticing that nobody had actually seen her, the leopardess just crouched, hiding in the high grass and sneaking as close of the three friends as she could, trying to listen the talking, although she guessed that the things would most likely go ugly.

"Well, if the situation becomes too ugly, I can always step in and roar. Probably my appearance will scare the other warthogs, and they will run away…"

But, when Mkalimu thought better, she concluded that it wasn't right that the warthogs would run away. They weren't completely helpless, they could defend themselves of some smaller predators, like hyenas, wild dogs, or leopards. She had even seen once a warthog ripping off the belly of a huge lion, killing him in a matter of seconds. Probably it had been more thanks to luck than to special skills, but, for both predators and preys, caution was never too much.

So, Mkalimu just sneaked closer to the gathered animals and when she came close enough, she just lied down comfortably - but always without making the slightest sound, for not to be found - so that she would be able to hear some of the talking between the animals.

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Gwasi was still looking at Pumbaa, without knowing very well what to do, feeling the blood flowing through his front right paw, and spotting the ground. We was still too surprised to have any reaction.

"He's not Pumbaa, almost for sure!" thought Gwasi. "The same Pumbaa that left the sounder more than a year ago would never attack me! Well, he did attack the lions… but that was to protect Tisa and Dogo… why would he want to protect this lion? Specially knowing that Tisa and Dogo were killed by lions! But… let's see… oh… this is my chance to kill that rascal... but… what can I do?"

Trying to look for a suggestion, Gwasi just looked around to the members of his sounder, trying to know what was the general attitude shown towards Pumbaa's return, but he only discovered that all the warthogs were as amazed as him, and some were even more.

Doing the only thing that seemed reasonable to him, Gwasi tried to charge at Pumbaa, but before he managed to do it, someone came with another idea. Timon, still with a confused look, asked to Pumbaa: "Big fella, who's that grumpy one? You know, the one who tried to till our little boy?"

"I only tried to kill that lion!" shouted Gwasi. "And I would have done it if not for Pumbaa's interferance!"

"You won't touch our Simba!" shouted Timon, waving his fist at Gwasi. "Only over my dead body!"

"It's easy to talk, you coward!" said a female warthog from the middle of the sounder.

That female's name was Haba. All the other warthogs looked at her, but not even one of them got surprised when they heard her standing for Gwasi. All the sounder knew that she had loved the black warthog ever since they were young piglets, but he always considered her too attached to him, and ended up prefering the calmer Tisa.

"Shut up, Haba!" shouted Gwasi, and the female warthog got silenced.

"Oh yeah?" asked Timon, jumping instantly from Pumbaa, and walking to Gwasi with clentched fists and a menacing look.

When he got close to Gwasi, he jumped to the black warthog's snout, and stared into his eyes.

"Who's coward now, huh?" hissed the meerkat.

"Insolent mongoose!" shouted Gwasi. "I will teach you to have respect"

And Gwasi shook his head, trying to throw Timon of his snout. He managed to, but, much to his surprise, the meerkat landed well, and seemed ready to fight. The warthog charged at Timon, and the meerkat also charged at him, and it seemed that they would collide. When that happened, Timon would surely be thrown out of the way almost like a fly, and Gwasi would win. But, surprisingly, when the collision seemed certain, Timon passed under Gwasi's snout and tusks, avoiding the suine's attack. While the confused warthog stopped, Timon grabbed his left hind paw with his claws, plunging as much as he could. Gwasi yelped in pain, but, right on that moment, a warthog came out of the sounder, and grabbed Timon's tail, pulling the meerkat off the leader. It was Haba who had done it.

"He's all yours, sire!" said Haba, but still holding Timon's tail on her mouth, while the other warthogs watched, amazed.

She knew very well what would possibly happen, by having disobeyed Gwasi's orders. It was true that he hadn't ordered anything but Gwasi, specially since the day of her mate's death, was too proud for his own good, and never tolerated to be helped, but seeing him in seemingly big trouble was more that she could handle. Haba spat Timon to the ground, and Gwasi held the meerkat under his hoof, but not pressing hard enough to kill him. He was almost shouting at Haba for having helped him without his permission, but she, after all, had helped him, so Gwasi only snorted roughly: "Thank you."

"My pleasure, sir!" said Haba, bowing slightly.

"Two against one is cowardice!" shouted the enraged meerkat under Gwasi's hoof.

The black warthog just ignored it, and prepared to press his hoof hard and kill Timon, but before he managed to do it, a voice shouted angrily: "Drop'im!"

Gwasi looked up, and saw that Pumbaa was the one who had shouted, and seemed very angry. The other warthogs gasped in surprise. They already knew that Pumbaa was different and braver, but not so much for him to dare to shout at Gwasi! The black warthog was so surprised that he took his paw off Timon, who came out of his way…

"You dared to shout at me…" whispered Gwasi with barely contained hatred.

And then, he shouted even louder: "YOU DARED TO SHOUT AT ME! I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Son…" whispered Mbango. "Please…"

"SHUT UP, DAD!" shouted Gwasi. "You always protected Pumbaa, who was adopted, and neglected me, your real son..."

Timon gasped of surprise.

"And I thought that Uncle Max and the others used to kick me out." whispered the meerkat, but too low to be heard.

"We never…" tried to say Nina, but Gwasi interrupted her.

"You never liked me, I know that!" shouted the black warthog.

Mbango and Nina were ready to reply that they actually liked Gwasi, and loved him, because it was true. However, as much as it was true that they loved Gwasi, it was also true that they never showed it. They were always complaining about Gwasi's quick-temper. In an attempt of not to think on a reply, both looked to the sounder, to see what was the general reaction, and, much to their despair, they all had a surprising, but somewhat accusing stare on their faces.

"Who doesn't speak, doesn't deny!" said Timon from under Gwasi's hoof.

Gwasi and his parents looked at the meerkat with anger and for some time, Gwasi even considered pressing his hoof and crush Timon. However, he took it off, and the meerkat didn't waste any time in going away.

Leaving Timon rubbing his chest, Gwasi turned to Pumbaa and said, with fiery eyes and voice full of hatred: "Die."

With that word, he charged at Pumbaa with his full speed. Pumbaa considered his options. One of them was to come out of Gwasi's way on the last moment, but if he did that, Gwasi would hit Simba and most certainly kill him. His only hope was to act as unpredictably as he could. So, he only charged at Gwasi with his full speed.

The black warthog had to admit his surprise, but he didn't slow down, ready to kill Pumbaa. On the last moment before Gwasi hit him, Pumbaa stepped aside. Gwasi's right tusk rammed through Pumbaa's right shoulder and he shouted in pain, but he had done his main task - slow down Gwasi.

That gave to the shocked Simba enough time to step aside Gwasi, but then the black warthog stopped and turned back, ready to charge at Simba with full speed. The warthog's reaction was so fast, that Simba took some time to react. He tried to step aside as quickly as he could, but on that moment the two cuts caused by the mother rhinoceros ached and he clenched his teeth in pain, still on the way of Gwasi's deadly charge.

On the last moment before Gwasi could hit Simba, Mkalimu jumped from her cover and hit Gwasi's side with an impetus that threw them both about three meters aside. Mkalimu could land on her feet, while Gwasi was on the ground, trying to get up. Without giving him time for that, Mkalimu jumped on him, and immobilized him with her full mass, placing her paw on the warthog's neck.

"Still!" she whispered. "You move, you die!"

Ignoring that, Gwasi fought with all his might to release himself from Mkalimu's grip. Mkalimu was exceptionally big and strong for a leopardess, reaching almost the full size that a leopard can have, but Gwasi was very strong and muscled and, in spite of what she said, for the moment she had no intention of killing Gwasi, at least if there was another choice.

However, before she could take a decision about what to do with the black warthog that kept struggling, another suine joined the fight. It was Haba. She came close to the struggling animals, trying her best to take Mkalimu out of her beloved. She tried to hit Mkalimu with her tusks, and failed by an inch, because of the leopardess's jump. However, Mkalimu was forced to release Gwasi in order to avoid Haba's attack. Gwasi left Haba wrestling with Mkalimu and prepared to make another charge at Pumbaa, who still hadn't completely recovered.

In a desperate effort to stop him, Simba tried to jump to him, but he miscalculated the speed of the warthog, and landed just behind him, instead of landing on the warthog's back. Gwasi used the time to kick Simba's side, managing to hit Simba's cut with one of his hooves. Simba screamed in pain, while Gwasi kept his charge to the immobile Pumbaa.

Suddenly, he felt as some claws and teeth plunged his back left paw, and yelped. In a blind attempt to protect his friend, Timon had thrown himself at the black warthog, biting with all his might.

Gwasi tried to shake his paw, but Timon's grip was strong. Haba - who was still fighting Mkalimu - considered about helping her beloved, but turning her back to the leopardess meant suicide. So, she just screamed, without taking her eyes of Mkalimu: "Anyone of you, help him! Now!"

Besides Gwasi and Haba, all the other warthogs were absolutely still – because they had no idea of how to interfere on the fight. But then, trying the only thing that seemed reasonable on that time, Mbango stepped forward, and shouted as loud as he could: "SSSSTTOOOOOPPPPP!"

Driven by some kind of common impulse, all the fighting animals stopped. Gwasi stopped shaking his paw, Timon stopped biting and both Haba and Mkalimu stopped their fight. So, Mbango stepped forward, walking to his son. Nina followed him. Mbango began speaking with extremely worried voice, whispering so that only his son could listen to him: "Son… please… listen… we never… neglected… you…"

"DON'T LIE!" shouted Gwasi. "You… always… neglected… me… Everyone… neglected… me…"

On that moment, surprisingly, Gwasi just collapsed to the ground, and burst in tears that he probably had been repressing for many years. That was probably the most shocking sight: the warthog who seemed to have a heart darker than his fur was actually crying. All the warthogs had their mouths dropped in amazement – and even Timon didn't discover some ironical comment to throw on that moment. Gwasi managed to say, between the cries: "You… even… said… that… you… wanted… Pumbaa… to be… your son… rather… than… me…"

Once again, the whole sounder gasped from surprise. Timon said, with ironical and at the same time shocking voice: "I already heard of exchanging families but this is ridiculous!"

In any other time, probably all the warthogs would shout at Timon, but probably there was more truth in that sentence that it was desirable. Mbango and Nina were getting more and more desperate.

"We…" tried to say Nina, but on that moment, she caught Pumbaa's stare, and she saw something contained in it that made her to shut up.

Pumbaa walked towards Gwasi, and just sat there, without saying anything. Finally, after some moments of hesitation, he said: "If that makes you to feel better, I'm neither happy nor proud because of that."

"Why shouldn't you?" asked Gwasi, shouting. "You had all their attention, while me, their biological son, was neglected! Almost kicked out!"

The sounder was getting at the highest limit of shock, but it seemed that they were too focused with keeping their mouths dropped from amaze to speak. For some seconds, no one spoke, still too amazed with the fact of Gwasi being, for one time, actually expressing his feelings. The first one speaking was Simba, who had been silent 'till the moment. He said: "It… must be pretty hard for you… I'm sorry… I guess I can't really give you anything better than that…"

Gwasi just snorted at the lion and tried to get up. Haba came to him and supported him on his side with her tusks. She asked: "Are you alright, Gw… sir?"

"No!" shouted Gwasi, completely enraged. "I'm not alright! I just saw that my parents are lying to me, that Pumbaa returned… and that I… I…"

On that moment, Gwasi gave to his sentence an unexpected ending: "I was a fool!"

"What do you mean, sir?" asked Haba.

"I drove away the only creature that wasn't kicking me out!" shouted Gwasi. "You! I was a fool… now I see that you were just trying to be my friend… I should have…"

Haba barely listened to her beloved's words, very busy with her own thoughts.

"He is so handsome." she thought. "And sweet. Even this close… or maybe especially this close… and he is… talking sweetly to me…"

Fortunately, she managed to hear some of Gwasi's words, and, guessing that he expected a reply, she said:"Don't worry about what you should have done, sire. Worry…"

"I think it would be better if you called me "Gwasi"." said the black warthog, interrupting her. "Because I… I… I have something to ask… you…"

And then, for some explaining reason, he blushed. As far as they could recall, no member of the sounder had actually seen Gwasi blusing. Haba was thinking: "He has something… to ask me? Could it be… no… it is a dream…"

She managed to ask fearfully: "What do you want to ask me… Gwasi?"

For the next moments, Gwasi didn't speak, he just made hesitant sounds, like if he was fearful of what he would say. Maybe he actually was.

"Would you… be… my mate?" asked the black warthog with very hesitant voice.

Again, all the sounder gasped from surprise, and even Simba, Pumbaa and Mkalimu followed the example. Timon's lower jaw when he heard Gwasi's words. And then, most of the members of the sounder burst in laughter. Even Gwasi followed them, when he understood how ridiculous the situation was: to ask for a female warthog to be her mate, a thing supposely private, in front of the whole sounder.

"You may be the master when it comes to brute strength…" said Timon. "… but when it comes to choose romantic moments, you are the worst!"

But that didn't stop Mbango and Nina of running to their son, and hugging him. They were the only ones who seemed to understand what that act meant for him.

"Son… I'm so happy for you…" said Nina.

"It's good… that I see you smiling… finally…"

"Thanks, dad and mom." said Gwasi. But then, his face became more serious.

"But Haba didn't say if she accepted." added Gwasi. He turned to Haba: "So, do you accept, or not?"

For the next few seconds, Haba didn't even reply. She just stood there, completely immobile, thinking that she was dreaming. She spoke, to nobody in particular: "Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!"

"It isn't a dream." said Gwasi, with unexpectedly tender voice. "I assure you. Now, answer: yes, or no?"

Haba tried to speak, but before she could reply, she yelped in pain.

"Ouch!" she said. "What happened?"

But she didn't take too much time to discover that answer, because when she and Gwasi turned back, they saw Timon behind Haba's butt. Pumbaa went to Timon, placing him behind his paw to protect him from danger.

The meerkat only said, with ironical voice: "That's what you asked!"

"Thank you." snorted Haba with ironical voice.

"You still didn't reply." said Gwasi, smiling friendly.

"Yes!" said Haba, with pure happiness on her eyes.

Gwasi smiled and – supported by his very recent mate – he went to Pumbaa. He spoke to him, in an unsually calm voice: "I haven't stopped hating you. Don't think that we'll be friends from now on. But I have nothing to do with you now."

"Don't worry." said Pumbaa. "I also have to take care of my adopted son."

"Who, the meerkat?" asked Gwasi ironically.

"The lion." said Pumbaa.

All the warthogs got very amazed at Pumbaa's sentence. The first one to react was Nina, who said: "I never thought that I would have a lion as a grandchild! Even if adopted…"

Gwasi walked to Mbango and Nina, and said: "I… I would say that I forgive you… but I believe that we must speak… there are many things that we must discuss..."

Both Mbango and Nina agreed, and all the sounder went away, seemingly all of them with a relieved expression. Only Timon, Pumbaa, Simba and Mkalimu stayed behind.

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On the end of that day, most of the main things were solved. Haba had been declared as Gwasi's mate, Nina and Mbango apologized to their son publically – and Pumbaa also apologized to Gwasi.

Timon, Pumbaa and Simba were sleeping on their bed, and Mkalimu was sleeping on the tree, but finally, Simba said: "Gwasi almost seemed a good guy…"

"It is true." said Pumbaa. "I never thought that he could be able to be as touching and sensitive."

"At least you solved your problem with him." said Timon. "Now we can really live to our motto "Hakuna Matata"!"

However, ever since that day, Timon and Pumbaa insisted in walking with Simba and Mkalimu, even during the hunting lessons, to take care of their adopted son.

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_What did you think? Was it a good chapter? I tried to make some scenes a little bit ironical and funny... but I don't know if it worked. Whatever, I hope that you enjoyed my chapter in the end. Please review! I still need opinions!_


	41. Chapter 40: Exodus

_Hello again. Here it is a new chapter. Well, after a chapter with Simba's life in the jungle, we come back to the Pride Lands, during Scar's reign. I explain it in the text, but, just to make it clear here, I will put some time measures. 18 months have passed since the day of Shani's birth, 22 months have passed since the day of Mufasa's death, and 30 months have passed since the day of Simba's and Nala's births. I mention it in the text, but just to make all clear, I mention it in the beginning._

_Well, I explained the origins of the hyenas... now I begin (or keep) explaining the origins of the Outlanders. I know, this chapter also has some similarities with TakaPL's plot from "The Scar's Heir", but, once again, I have his full permission on that, and you may ask him if you don't believe me. However, there are some differences from his plot, like you may eventually check out._

_Well, Shakisa (female), Doria (female), Vii (female) and Thela (female) are TakaPL's characters, and I have his permission to use them. The Mouth Oasis is TakaPL's place, and I have his permission to use it._

_And one last thing. This chapter mentions events that took place some chapters ago, like on chapter 8, chapter 12, and chapter 21. I advice you to keep these chapters on mind when reading this one._

_Now that this initial long piece is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 40 – Exodus**

Almost two years had passed from the day when Mufasa died on the wildebeest stampede after trying to save Simba. Nala was now a lioness with two years and a half old, and most of the cubs had grown up into teenagers, except Shani, who was still more cub than teenager. No lioness from the pride had cubs – or even got pregnant - since the day of Shani's birth.

Without Scar and Zira knowing, the pride kept the secret trainings, and those were giving more and more results. Tojo kept his training with Rafiki, but the wiseape said that Tojo would only be ready when he was at least five years old. Fortunately, the training was showing to be completely un-necessary –'till that moment - because both the monarchs were rulling well, and keeping the hyenas under control, and in fact, in spite of their hopes in deposing Scar and Zira, no member of the pride could find an actual reason to complain.

One of the problems that they faced was still Kisasian, who kept living as apart of the pride as he could. Scar and Zira had tried to make several attempts of reconcilling with him, but all of them were completely fruitless, because their son didn't even allow them to come close to him. In spite of the time that had passed, he was as angry at the whole pride as before.

However, Kisasian wasn't the biggest problem anymore. One day, about sixteen months after Mufasa's death, a drought had begun. However, it was an unusual drought, that seemed to be harder and longer than usual, and no sign of rain had yet come. With the unusual dry season, some animals began moving on, and the Pride Lands had less preys for the lions and other carnivores. Scar noticed that, but he wasn't worried.

One day, six months after the beginning of that drought, he was on the top of Pride Rock with Tojo, looking at the savannah. Tojo was growing into a very big and strong lion, even if his mane didn't completely cover his neck yet. He was unusually muscled for his age, and he also showed to be very intelligent. Even being heavy, he liked to climb to the top of Pride Rock.

"Look, Tojo." said Scar. "This is going to be a hard year… it is strange. It will be dry, like no year that I can recall… but now, we are finally about to see the benefits that the alliance with the hyenas will bring to the whole pride."

"What have the hyenas to do with it?" asked Tojo roughly.

In spite of living close to them for almost two years, he hadn't yet gotten used to the idea of tolerate the murderers of his grandmother. He knew that it was against the law, but, if it was up to him, he would kill them all.

"It's very simple, Tojo." replied the king, with voice that showed his understanding for Tojo's feelings. "I told Shenzi and Banzai to train in battue hunting and helping the pride with the hunt… so, they force the preys into the open, and then, we lions do the rest."

"It makes me sick that we have to depend of those who murdered my grandmother…" said Tojo, baring his teeth and extending his claws. "If it was all up to me, I would rip their throats off, cut them in pieces, and throw them to the vultures!"

"Tojo, I understand what you are feeling." said Scar, placing his paw over Tojo's shoulders. "But we all must forget that, if we want to use their help in order to survive."

Tojo inhaled deeply, in an attempt to force his voice to stay calm, and, after that, he said: "Anyway… it seems tricky. Did your father teach you that?"

Scar sighed, and replied with cold voice: "No, Tojo. My father hasn't taught me anything about kingship, because Mufasa was meant to be king eversince he was born. I just… heard some things… and found out myself…"

"Then…" said Tojo, slightly amazed. "You are very wise."

"Maybe…" replied Scar. "But wisdom doesn't feed us. I will help the pride with the hunt… and you also could, if you were not too young. But, three months from now, when you make your first successful hunt and become an adult, you will also help."

"Well, I believe I can wait those three months." said Tojo, yet his voice expressed that, if it was only up to him, he wouldn't wait.

On that moment, a silent question crossed his head. He asked: "But… what about Kisasian? He made his first successful hunt as a one year old cub, so is he an adult, even being younger than me?"

Scar just sighed again. In spite of the drought, the habits of his son of not eating anything that he hadn't hunt himself hadn't changed. Scar just said: "Uh… not exactly. The first hunt… is made in a more official way. For example, it is a tradition for the whole pride to eat a little bit of the prey hunted by that lion or lioness."

"So… is it some kind of ceremony?" asked Tojo, curious.

"Not exactly." said Scar. "But… in a simple way, yes."

After that talking, both Scar and Tojo went down Pride Rock.

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The Pride Lands were starting to enter a bad situation. However, another place, about two hundred kilometers northwest, was already facing a desperate situation. That place was the desert. Or, like some temporary visitors call it: hell. However, desert lions, live on the desert their whole lives. Do they live in hell? Probably not - or at least not usually. But that year was being particularly hellish for their kingdom, the Golden Sands. The unusual dry season, combined with other outside threats, was destroying the kingdom. Most of the water sources were dried or almost dry – and the most important water source, the Mouth Oasis, had been seriously damaged, and would stay like that for the next years, on the best of chances. Most of the prey herds had moved away – and the few that stayed on the kingdom weren't enough to feed a whole pride. The desert was feeling the effects of the drought with a much bigger intensity than the savannah of the Pride Lands.

On that day, the pride was having a meeting on their home, the Golden Cave, to decide what was their best option in order to survive. Arista, the old monarch, more than thirteen years old, was still rulling the pride. During his rule, the Golden Pride had met prosperous times, but now the land was meeting decline. The unusual dry season played a part in it, but some outside threats also had made it's share into making the kingdom's state even worse. And, as if that wasn't enough, since the last days, the old king had been getting sick since the last days. Not seriously, but that illness could get worse with time. This could be the last year of his rule, and he knew it. So, he tried to make a good decision, hoping to save his pride. For that, he tried to find some orientation on strange dreams that he had been having lately. Those dreams showed decline and destruction of the Golden Sands, but some of them also showed a place where they could go to get sanctuary. Arista already knew it before, but now he was ready to announce it to his pride.

"Pride." called Arista with decisive voice. "I believe that you all know why I called this meeting."

All the pride nodded, waiting anxiously for further words. They hoped that the solution for their problems would be gotten on this meeting. All of them knew of Arista's strange dreams, but they didn't object them, if they brought real ideas for the Golden Pride to survive.

The king kept speaking: "Like we all have seen, this dry season is being unusually long and dry. I even think that it can be a second Great Drought, like the one that happened in the beginning of the reign of my father. If it is really, I don't think we have a chance of surviving here long enough for the rain to come. If we still had the Mouth Oasis undamaged, I'm sure we still could… but like that, I don't think we stand a chance."

One young lioness in the pride raised her paw, signaling that she wanted to speak.

"Yes, Shakisa?" asked the old ruler.

"Aren't the Great Droughts supposed to come only once from a hundred to a hundred years?" asked the young lioness, confused.

Arista soon replied: "That was what we all thought, my dear. But unfortunately, this one came earlier. So... I do believe that we all know what we have to do. Our only hope to survive is to move away."

Kira, Arista's daughter, raised her paw, and the king nodded. She asked: "But where can we go, dad?"

That question was the main one, but somehow, all the pride knew the answer. They heard of that place countless times. But, even so, the king replied: "The nearest place where we can go to and have a chance to survive are the Pride Lands. I don't know if they will accept, but… at least we have to pass through there. Any other place is too far for we to get there alive in this dry season."

"Sssssir!" said Kauli. "I believe that… if you want to leave, you better leave sssssoon."

"Thanks for the suggestion, Kauli." said Arista.

But the king's brother-in-law, Dhalimu, replied: "Why did you say "you"? Won't you come with us?"

"No, I won't." replied the snake. "I will ssssstay here, asssss a keeper of the memory of your pride. However, I wish all of you the biggessssst luck in thisssss world. May God and the ssssstarsssss guide you to a sssssafe place."

"Thank you." replied Sparthi.

All the lionesses and lions said goodbye to the snake, some more emotionally than others, but they all had some pity for going away.

"Alright." began Arista, after all having told goodbye to the snake. "So, all of you, drink from the source on our cave, and then let's go away, because we have to be quick."

The pride instantly obeyed, except for Adia, one of the youngest lionesses, who stayed behind, sitting down and thinking. Ever since the last months, when the Great Drought had begun, her life had been thrown into confusion. She had lost many things important to her. She didn't know what to think anymore.

Her friend Doria, slightly younger, came to her, worried.

"You don't seem happy with the idea of going away, Adia." said the golden-furred lioness, a little bit worried.

Adia nodded, without knowing what to say. Noticing Adia's worried expression, a black-maned lion went out of the crowd, going to his daughter, being followed by a lioness with pale-grey fur.

"What's the matter, my dear?" asked Hanja. "Are you alright?"

"No, dad." said Adia, a little bit sad. "I'm not alright. I mean… leaving this land… it is our home, it is the only home that I can recall…"

"My dear…" said Imani, approaching her daughter and licking her face. "I know it is hard… but at least… look, if you want an advise, try to think on the good things that you may find out there. Think positive."

"But… I'm…"

"Scared?" asked Doria, slightly ironic. "Oh, don't be a coward! Think about it as an adventure!"

"Adventures aren't always…" tried to say Adia, but Hanja interrupted her.

"My dear, I know it will be hard, but we must go." said the lion with gentle voice. "Otherwise, we will die… all. And… don't worry. We will be together… you are not going alone. Don't worry."

"I'll try." said Adia, but it became obvious that she wasn't liking the idea that much.

"That's more like it." said Imani, smiling. "Now, my dear, we must drink before going. They are waiting."

It was true. It seemed as if the whole pride had already drank, and all the lions and lionesses were looking at them. They weren't speaking, but in their expressions was written: "Come on! Hurry up! We don't have any time to lose!"

That was enough to make the lion and the three lionesses to drink the water of the source from the cave and then follow the whole pride in a journey across the desert, leaving Kauli waving goodbye with his tail.

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The pride walked southeast, the direction of the Pride Lands. It was a hard trip, like many of them didn't recall. The only ones remembering a simmilar trip were Arista and the oldest lionesses of the pride: Rama and Taraja. But even so, they only recalled the journey made from the Pride Lands to the Golden Sands, after the drought being finished, not the one made from the Golden Sands to the Pride Lands in times of drought. That trip wasn't recalled by anyone.

The pride endured the best they could, and not even a single of them complained about the journey, not even Adia, eventhough she still wished that she could still be on her old home.

But, unfortunately, in spite of their hard efforts, not all had enough endurance to stand the fast journey to the Pride Lands. Less than a day after leaving the Golden Cave, Arista caught a very severe and strong fever. He had already been getting quite sick on the last days, but it seemed that the effort of the journey made the fever to advance. Unable to walk, the old ruler was carried by his son and his brother in law, while Kira was asked to lead the way, at her brother and uncle's side.

In theory, the one leading the way should be the one chosen as future heir, which could be any of the king's cubs, but eversince the tragic death of his mate, Malkha, and the disappearance (and supposed death) of his oldest daughter, Zira, several years ago, the king didn't know anymore what of his cubs should rule after him. At first, he intended to choose Zira, but now there was no Zira. So, the king's two remaining children, accompanied by Dhalimu, were leading the pride.

"I just don't see why you are asking me to lead at your side." said the blue-eyed lioness, while she, Sparthi and Dhalimu lead the pride. "I don't think I have good leading qualities."

"I also don't have." replied Dhalimu. "And your brother… well…"

"I could say the same." said Sparthi. "So, if we all keep together, we complete each other!"

"Good thinking." said Kira.

But then, she said, unintentionally, with sad voice: "If only Zira was here, it would be easier to us… she had more leading qualities than the three of us together."

"Unfortunately, Zira isn't here." said Sparthi, sighing sadly. "But… I believe that we all must do our best, and go forward."

The old ruler smiled as he was on his son and brother-in-law's back, but he didn't speak, because any word spoken now costed him a big headache.

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Three days after leaving the Golden Cave, the whole pride finally got to the Pride Lands. The journey had not been made without problems – in fact, serious problems – but now, Golden Pride was arriving to it's destiny, still as a pride. That was the essential. But now they faced another problem: how to cross the river with a sick ruler. During the two days of illness without proper care, the old king's state had gotten so bad that he was almost comatose, and it was unsure if he would be able to recover.

So, the pride faced the problem of how to cross the river. The river was running lower because of the drought, but not low enough to cross by foot, and it was very hard to swim carrying something on back. It risked three lives: the lifes of the two carriers and the life of the carried lion. So, for the moment, the pride just laid to rest close to the Border River, drinking carefully, because after all, that river wasn't theirs…

However, after three days without drinking, even carefully distributed liquid portions seemed almost like a feast of water. They looked for something to give water to the fallen king, finding a zebra skull that was used as a vessel, but even after five zebra-skulls full of water, Arista barely reacted.

Kira measured her father's temperature again, and got amazed at how high his fever was becoming. She also measured her father's pulse. It was still bad, but at least it wasn't worst than the last time she had checked.

"What can we do now?" asked Kira. "Father is as sick as before…"

"I don't know, sis…" replied Sparthi. "But I believe that what we can do next is to send the healthiest of us to Pride Rock, and ask for help. It's our best option."

Nobody in the pride had a better idea, so they decided to rest for two hours, and then someone would go to Pride Rock, that was, according to Arista's tales, the place where the Pridelanders lived. In the mean time, they could admire the place. Adia was among the first ones to come close to the river bank and watch the other side. Although the Pride Lands were dry, for the exhausted lions from the desert, they looked almost like the paradise.

"The Pride Lands are really charming." said Adia. "It still leaves me sad that we had to leave… but I can't stop appreciate this place."

"If you think they are enchanting, you should have seen them about seven years ago." said Hanja. "On that time, they were really… green, and fertile…"

"You would have to see." said Imani.

"Oh… I remember!" said Adia. "You and dad have been here when you were a cub, right?"

"Right." said Sifia, in a playfully annoyed voice. "My sister and my brother-in-law came here, and they didn't warn me!"

"You said that you didn't want to come!" said Imani, elbowing her sister playfully.

But Sparthi interrupted them, with a serious expression on his face. Not that he was feeling annoyed with the temporary good mood of his friends, but he decided that it wasn't a proper time for it. The prince turned to Hanja, and asked: "Hanja, according to your memories, who was the prince on that time?"

"His name was… Mufasa." said Hanja a little bit uncertainly. Imani nodded.

"So…" said Kira. "After our rest, I will…"

"No." said Sparthi. "I will go to Mufasa…"

"But you gotta take care of dad…" said Kira.

"And you can't get into trouble…" said Sparthi. "I know that Mohatu used to be a great king, but that was years ago. I very much doubt Mohatu is still alive, and even if he is, I doubt that he still rules. Many things might have happened since the last time our pride was here."

"We'll never know unless we are brave enough to check that out, right?" asked Kira.

The two siblings kept their argument to see who would be the one going to meet Mufasa, not aware that most of the scene had been observed by Zazu, who was patrolling the area.

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"Sire!" shouted Zazu, flying to meet Scar. "Sire! Intruders!"

Scar and Zira were speaking with Shenzi and Banzai, explaining the new hunting plans. Tojo was listening with attention, trying to learn more.

"So, you must form small teams and…" said Scar, when Zira interrupted him.

"Darling, Zazu just told about intruders." said the queen, allowing Zazu to recover his breath.

"Intruders?" asked Scar, suddenly dedicating his full attention to the bird. "Where?"

"On the other side of Border River!" panted Zazu. "They seem to have come from the desert. It is a whole pride!"

Zira almost gasped, but she managed to stop herself on the last moment. Scar didn't notice her mate's gasping, and asked: "From the desert? How could they do it in such… Alright. Zazu, call the pride, we must escourt our guests…"

"They are intruders!" said Zazu, seemingly panicked.

"I haven't decided it yet!" replied Scar, coldly. "You will call the pride, and then you will tell to our guests that help is coming for them. Understand?"

"Yes, sire." said Zazu weakly, before going to call the pride.

Scar turned to Tojo, and said: "My boy, I think you should…"

"Stay?" interrupted Tojo. "No, I want to go! Please…."

"It could be dangerous…" said Scar.

"Please…" repeated Tojo.

"Alright…" said Scar, resigned. "But stay back, whatever it happens."

"Yes." said Tojo.

Scar added: "Shenzi, get thirty hyenas and follow us, but remain hidden until further orders."

"Right." replied the hyena.

Just then, Scar turned to Zira, to see that she was deeply sad, and somewhat scared. He turned to Tojo, asking: "Tojo, could you please leave us alone for a few minutes?"

Tojo seemed a little bit confused, but he didn't reply. He just bowed and went away. Scar went to Zira, and asked, with deeply worried voice: "Zira… are you alright?"

"Zazu said that those strangers came from the desert." replied the queen. "They may be…"

Just then, Scar understood, and concluded for Zira: "Yes. They may be your pride. And that's good! You'll finally see your family! Aren't you happy?"

"Scar." said Zira, almost shocked. "They will…"

"Be extremely happy to see you…" tried to conclude Scar.

"Until they find out that I killed my mother." concluded Zira bitterly. "When they see that, they will kill me."

"Zira…" said Scar. "They are your family. They won't kill you. Anyway, you don't have to worry. I am here… I will protect you… have I ever failed you? Except when I was stupid enough to fall in love with Sarabi, but…"

Zira wiped off the tears that were forming on her eyes, and said with a sob. "You are right, Scar. I don't have to be afraid as long as you are here to protect me…"

She hugged Scar, nestling into his mane. Scar also hugged her, and said: "Now, we will meet your family, and don't worry… remember that I am by your side…"

On that moment, Zazu appeared, and said: "The whole pride is ready to go… except…"

Scar sighed. The only missing member was actually his son. But maybe it was better that way. At least he wouldn't have to suffer more, and the guests also wouldn't have to get shocked by Kisasian's brute behaviour. Zazu took off to meet the guests, like Scar had ordered him earlier.

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"Look!" said Kira, looking at the sky. "There is a hornbill coming straight this way!"

"A hornbill?" asked Sparthi.

Some of the lions looked with more attention, noticing that indeed was a hornbill. Rama said: "He looks vaguely like Zuzu, King Mohatu's advisor… but I don't think she is still alive…"

But the question was soon answered when Zazu landed right in front of Sparthi and Dhalimu, and said: "Greetings. I am Zazu, majordomo of Scar, king of the Pride Lands. King Scar has ordered me to come here, saying that he and his pride are coming to help you."

"Well then, Zazu, please thank to King Scar for his help, in our behalf…" began Sparthi, but Dhalimu interrupted his nephew.

"Scar?" asked the grey-maned lion, confused. "I thought the king was Mufasa. Hanja! Come here! You told us that the king was Mufasa!"

"Mufasa was the king, sire, but that was just until he died, almost two years ago, and his brother Scar replaced him…" began saying Zazu, but then the sound of Hanja coming close was listened vaguely, and Zazu looked at him.

When he saw Hanja, his attitude changed completely. He gave a panicked shout, and then he took off, shouting like crazy: "Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me! Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me!"

"What did he say?" asked Vii, another of the young lionesses of the pride.

"It seems that he said "Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me" when he saw Mr. Hanja." said Thela, another of the young lionesses.

"Gee, that hornbill might be getting crazy with excess of work." said Hanja. "Thinking that I was…"

But then, his voice changed completely, as he shouted, with amazed voice: "Nduli? How can the hornbill know about Nduli?"

The older pride members also seemed remarkably surprised. Some of the younger members, like Adia, seemed to remember the name, but others, like Shakisa, seemed confused, and they had a silent question on their faces. Hanja guessed they should want to know who was Nduli… eventhough it seemed surprising that someone didn't know the name. While Hanja explained, Kira asked: "What did he say?"

"He said that Mufasa died two years ago, and now the king is Mufasa's brother, Scar."

Hearing that, both Hanja and Imani got with deeply sad expressions on their faces.

"It's sad…" said Imani, lowering her head in sorrow. "Mufasa was a nice friend… eventhough I barely met him."

Hanja did the same, interrupting his explanation. He had not known Mufasa for much time, but nevertheless, Mufasa had been a good friend to him on the little time when they met. The Golden Pride decided to make two minutes of silence for the almost two years that had passed since Mufasa's death.

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Zazu went back to the pride, but, if not for Tojo grabbing him with an agile movement, he would have flown further. He just shouted: "Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me!"

"Nduli's ghost?" asked Mega, confused.

"I think I know what it means." said Scar. "Right. Zira and I go first to see if it is safe to meet them, and, if it is, we will call you, or come with them to here, OK?"

"Right." said Sarabi, and the others nodded.

So, Scar and Zira entered the water and began swimming to the other side. The pride on the other bank saw that.

"They are coming!" said Sparthi. "A lion and a lioness have just entered the water, and the rest of the pride is waiting on the other side."

But Kira was looking more attentively at the lioness who was swimming. It seemed that she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Bro…" asked Kira, confused. "Is it just me… or that lioness is…"

Sparthi, guessing the rest of the question, tried to look better. He said: "It has to be… but…"

But, the closer she and the lion came, the more obvious became the similaritie. Scar also understood that they were Zira's family almost instantly, because he noticed a lioness looking just like Zira, except for the dark-blue eyes.

"Just like I thought." said Scar, raising his head above the water.

Zira nodded, but, in fact, she was getting more and more aprehensive with the idea of meeting her pride.

"Greetings." said Scar, when he came out of the water, to meet Sparthi and Kira who were waiting for them. "I am Scar, king of the Pride Lands, and this is my mate…"

"Zira?" asked Sparthi and Kira in unison, not believing their eyes.

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_Well, what did you think? Was that chapter acceptable? Well, probably some of you are burning to know what will happen now... but for that, you will have to wait until the next chapter. But review, please! I still need opinions!_


	42. Chapter 41: Family meeting

_Hello. Here it comes a new chapter. I hope that most of you will find out this chapter as happy, in spite of some more tensed moments. If anyone of you felt bad for Kisasian, I hope this disappears by the end of this chapter. About Zira... you will have to wait a little bit more. Whatever, I hope you enjoy. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 41 – Family meeting**

For some seconds, when Zira came out of the water, nobody spoke or even moved, except Scar and Zira when they shook the water of their fur. Some of the older members of the desert pride, like Rama, Sifia, or Hanja recognized Zira, and their expressions were very simmilar to those of Sparthi and Kira. Some of the youngest, like Adia or Shakisa, were just staring amazed at Zira, not recognizing her, and seemingly amazed for the older members recognizing her.

"Zira!" said Hanja, with a big smile. "You're alive!"

"It's so good to see you!" said Imani, almost jumping from excitement.

"Where have you been?" asked Sifia smiling even more than Hanja.

The three tried to run to Zira, but Rama and Taraja blocked their way, and they stopped. Rama turned to Zira, and said, with a friendly smile: "It's good to see you, my dear. But, for now, I don't hug you, because I believe that your family should do it first."

They turned to Zira's siblings and uncle, but they weren't reacting at all. They seemed too amazed for being able to react. Like if they couldn't believe their eyes.

"Hey…" said Zira, shyly. "I'm not a ghost… you know that?"

It seemed that it was the necessary confirmation. Both Kira and Sparthi ran to their older sister and hugged her very tight. Dhalimu also wanted to hug his niece, but if the three did the same together, she would most likely be choked.

"Sis…" said Kira, with tears flowing down her face. "You're alive… it's so good to see you…"

Sparthi didn't speak, but his tight hug somehow spoke for himself. Zira wasn't hugging any of them, because she was thinking heavily, mainly about her "secret", and what would be their reaction when they found out. But, of course, she was extremely happy by seeing her family. As she was hugged, Zira understood that she didn't actually care too much with what they would do after knowing of her… secret… at least if she could hug again her younger brother and sister first.

"It's also good to see you." whispered Zira, trying to hugh both Sparthi and Kira. It was rather hard, but in the end she managed to hugh each one of them. She wasn't crying, but will of that seemed not to miss.

Finally, Sparthi and Kira backed away, and Dhalimu used that moment to hug Zira. He seemed to be controlling his emmotions better than Sparthi and Kira.

"It's good to see you." said the grey-maned lion.

"I can say the same, uncle." replied Zira.

But then, it came the embarassing moment that Zira feared. The moment of the torrent of questions. Sparthi and Kira seemed to have lots of them.

"But how did you survive?" asked Sparthi.

"What have you been doing here?" asked Kira.

"Why have you never returned home?" asked Sparthi.

"And how did you become queen of the Pride Lands?" asked Kira.

It seemed that they had even more questions to make, but, before that, Zira said: "There will be plently of time for questions later. For now we have to take care of your problem."

Zira's words seemed to remind them of the problem that they actually had. Dhalimu turned to Scar. He said: "Uh… sir… we have a problem… we have one sick member on our pride…"

"Sick?" asked Scar, worried.

But, before he could advance more with his question, Zira asked, even more worried than Scar: "Who is he, uncle?"

"Uh…" said Dhalimu hesitantly. "He's… huh…"

"Who?" asked Zira.

She was seeing that her uncle's look somehow said that it was someone close to her in family. But finally, her uncle, unable to answer, just used his tail to make a signal to Doria, Vii, Adia, and Thela, who were guarding someone on the base of a tree. They stepped aside, and Zira could finally see who the sick member was. And she couldn't believe in her eyes.

"Dad…" whispered Zira, with her eyes seemingly larger than normal from the surprise and sadness. "Dad…"

She walked closer to Arista, and hugged him. He didn't even move, but seemed to breathe more obviously. All the pride left Zira hugging Arista for about half a minute, but she finally asked: "What happened?"

"He caught a very strong fever during our way towards here." said Adia. Then, she added, remembering that she was queen of the Pride Lands, and also princess of the Golden Sands: "My lady."

Sparthi and Kira were talking with Scar, and he asked: "What happened?"

"Well…" said Sparthi. "We… can't get him through the river. And we need to cross…"

"Sure." said Scar. "I understand… so, you will all go to Pride Rock with me, and you will take your father. Get him closer to the river."

"We can't cross with him on our backs, sir…" said Kira. "He will drown…"

"First of all, call me Scar." said the black maned lion. "I think some informality won't hurt when your sister is my mate. And next, you don't have to cross with him on your backs. Just get him closer to the river."

Sparthi and Kira obeyed on the spot, and, in the mean time, Hanja came closer to Scar. He said: "Sir, I'm terribly sorry for the…"

When Scar saw Hanja, he almost jumped with the scare that he got, but he controlled himself. Now he was understanding why Zazu had flown away, shouting: "Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me!". It was because that lion looked just like a copy of Jambazi and Nduli. Hanja had the same mane, the same colour… the only diference were his jade-green eyes, unlike Jambazi and Nduli's brown eyes. Hanja noticed Scar's unusual reaction, but he just ignored it, and concluded: "… death of your brother."

"You knew Mufasa?" asked Scar, confused.

"Not too well." said the desert lion. "I only saw him once, when I was a cub. His death was probably hard to stand for you and your pride. You have my condolences."

"Thank you." said Scar. "It was harder for me to stand it than you could imagine."

But it seemed that Hanja wanted to ask more: "Sir… if you allow me to ask, do you have any idea why your majordomo flew away when he saw me, shouting: "Nduli's ghost has returned to eat me!"? You know… I have an older brother… named Nduli."

"I see…" said Scar, seeming to understand.

So, this lion was most likely brother of the twins that had killed Uru. But he had to ask a further question in order to confirm. So, he walked slightly away from the gathered pride.

"Could we speak more… privately?" asked Scar almost in a whisper.

Hanja understood that Scar wanted to speak about a particular matter, so he followed him. When they were slightly far from the pride, Scar finally asked: "Did he have a twin brother named Jambazi?"

"Huh?" asked Hanja.

He was about to shout at Scar to tell him more, but then he remembered that Scar was the king, so he asked as calm as he could: "How do you know them?"

Scar sighed, and said: "Listen… what's your name?"

"Hanja, sir." replied the other lion.

"Uh… Hanja, your brothers passed by these lands a few years ago… and… they died. Before that, they killed my mother, and tried to kill me. And they ate Zazu's mother. I'm very sorry that I have to tell you that, but..."

Scar's voice seemed to fail on the last words. Hanja's expression made quite obvious at how heartbroken he was. He sobbed, and just fell to the ground, almost crying.

"My brothers… dead… it can't be…" repeated the lion in the middle of the whympers.

Meanwhile, Sparthi and Dhalimu came with Arista on their backs, and Sparthi asked: "Scar… what do we have to do?"

But then, he noticed the heartbroken lion slightly far from the pride, and added: "And… why is Hanja so sad?"

"Wait a second." said Scar. "And about Hanja… he will tell you when he recovers."

Both Imani and Adia had already gone to see what happened with their mate and father respectively, so the two lions instead turned to Scar, noticing that he opened his mouth completely, and roared.

"What are you doing, sir?" asked Doria, curious.

"Calling a carrier." said Scar. And before someone could ask more, he said: "You'll see what I mean soon."

The pride just sat down and waited, and after some time, when they were wondering what could be, a few bubbles appeared on the surface of the water.

"He's here." said Scar.

The pride got very aprehensive and also curious, but soon the silent question that floated in the air was answered. A huge crocodile came out of the water, walking to Scar. Most of the members of the pride stepped back, and there wasn't almost any member of the pride who seemed relaxed. On the desert, didn't live many crocodiles, and the few that existed on the bigger water sources were rather small, because they have little to eat. The size of a crocodile is also influenced by the food that it eats, and a crocodile can grow during the whole life. All the pride admired Scar for standing firmly on his place when such a monster approached him. Only Sparthi and Kira stayed immobile, to defend their father. Taraja and Rama seemed to recognize the huge reptile, but even they were a little bit unsure about what to do.

"Did you call me, sir?" asked Tanin, bowing his head.

"Yes, Tanin, I called you." said Scar. "I would… or maybe Zira would…"

Zira walked forward, and said: "Tanin, please… we have received the visit of my original pride, the Golden Pride."

The reptile nodded, and Zira kept: "My father, Arista, is really sick. He won't cross the river alone…"

"Arista?" asked the crocodile, curious.

He looked at the lion for some time. After some seconds of silence, he added: "That's funny. The last time I saw him, he would fit in my open mouth."

Tanin looked through the pride, finding other two known faces, and added: "I could say the same to Rama and Taraja."

"We got it, Tanin." said Rama, clearly relieved that the crocodile had recognized them. "But we don't want to see the inside of your mouth."

And the crocodile clapped his huge jaws. The lions jumped, and Tanin chuckled, before saying: "So, you want me to help him to cross? Don't worry, I can do it."

The reptile lowered as much as he was able. Nobody seemed to understand what he was expecting for, but after a signal from Scar, Sparthi and Dhalimu placed Arista on his back. Tanin carefully entered the river, and began swimming to the other side with Scar, Zira, and the whole pride following him. Some of the younger lionesses seemed slightly afraid of entering the river (probably because they had never seen so much water together) but all managed to cross it quite well. Soon after arriving to the other side, Sarabi began questioning Scar.

"What happened?" asked the former queen.

"They need our help." replied the king. "This pride has a sick member, so, I want you to escort our guests to Pride Rock."

"Scar…" said Sarafina, a little bit fearful. "Don't you think that… they will eat all our prey?"

"They are our guests." said Scar. "So…"

"Who are they?" asked Mega, curious. "The lioness who looks like Zira, but with blue eyes… and…"

All the pride looked, and noticed than in fact a lioness that looked almost like a copy of Zira was in the middle of the "guests".

"Who are they?" asked Sarabi with angry voice.

"My original pride." replied Zira coldly. "Why?"

Most of the Pridelanders gasped, and for some time, no one even replied. The first one to recover was Uzuri, who walked to the river. She asked very hesitantly, like if she couldn't believe her eyes, looking at the lion on Tanin's back: "Arista? Is that you?"

Some members of the desert pride thought that it was very informal of the lioness who seemingly didn't know the king from nowhere to call him by the name, but, when they thought better, the amazement of seeing that she knew him was even bigger. But then, she was also recognized by one of the oldest members of the desert pride. Rama asked, almost fearfully: "You're… Uzuri… right?"

"Rama?" asked the blue-eyed lioness again.

The two seemed hesitant about what to do for some time, but finally, the two lionesses hugged each other.

"It's good to see you again." replied the old desert lioness. "Even in such conditions."

"How do you know my father?" asked Zira, who seemed one of the most amazed with the fact that had just shown up.

"Well…" said Uzuri shyly. "He was my best friend during our cubhoods. But he left when we were just six months old… I never saw him again… 'till today."

Scar allowed Uzuri to give all the necessary explanations to his mate, before beginning to give instructions.

"Zazu, tell Rafiki to get his herbs and go to Pride Rock." said the king. "We will escort our guests there. Have you drank already?"

"Yes, sir." replied Dhalimu, and the other members of the pride nodded.

The hornbill took off (being careful enough to avoid Hanja), while Kira, Sparthi and Zira placed Arista on their backs and walked following Scar, with both prides and the hyenas following them.

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Some time later, both the prides were already on Pride Rock, on the main cave, with Arista on the middle, being observed by Rafiki, who was giving him some of his herbs cut in very little pieces through his half-open mouth. Initially, the pride had got a little bit scared with finding the hyenas, but after Scar's and Zira's explanations, they got calmer, eventhough they were still wary.

"How is he?" asked Scar to Rafiki, while the exhausted desert pride rested against the wall.

"Very bad, sir." replied Rafiki. "I will do what I can… but our biggest hope is to pray for a miracle."

After that, Rafiki used a heavy stick to crush his medicinal plants in a thin dust, mixed them with water that he had in a gourd, making some kind of tea, and forced it through Arista's mouth, that Zira kept slightly open with all the carefullness that she could have. It wasn't theorically necessary to crush the medicinal plants or making the tea before giving it, to the ill lion, but it was necessary this time, because Arista was in coma, and he could only swallow fluids.

Rafiki stopped, and said: "For now, what we can do is to wait at least two hours, to see the results of my medicine. I'm sorry, but I can't do anything to heal him instantly."

"No…" said Zira. "You are doing your best…"

"She is right." said Scar. "Don't worry."

Then, he turned to the desert pride, and said: "You seem sick. Have you eaten anything?"

On that moment, Hanja's stomach gurgled loudly, and everyone looked at him with an angry look, as if they though that he was being rude. He blushed and smiled shyly, but Scar said: "That answers my question. Is there any food sparing?"

"Yes." said Sarabi, looking outside. "On that moment, I see one lion heading towards here with a zebra. It will be enough for them."

Scar looked outside, and noticed that Sarabi was right. Kisasian was heading towards Pride Rock, dragging a zebra. But he wouldn't accept to share it. As much as he refused to eat food hunted by anyone that wasn't himself, he also refused to share food that he had killed. It was rather bad, because eventhough he was almost a cub in personality, and his mane barely covered the top of his neck, his hunts weren't less successful than before the times of drought. Scar had once tried to ask what would happen if the drought became worst, but Kisasian only replied: "I'd rather die from hunger than eating from your table!"

"Sis…" asked Kira, shyly. "Is he… your son?"

"His name is Kisasian, and he was mine and Scar's son." said Zira sadly.

"Why did you say "was"?" asked Dhalimu, scratching his head in confusion.

"Because… since the last eighteen months, he refuses to have anything to do with this pride." said Scar, with a sad look. "The only relation that we still have with them is that he still lives on the same rock than us. It's like this since the day when… I will explain you this later."

On that moment, Hanja noticed something: his daughter was looking at Kisasian almost like if she was hypnotized.

"Adia?" asked Hanja, waving his paw in front of her eyes. "Dear?"

She didn't reply, but she went outside, walking to Kisasian, who had just finished climbing the lower part of Pride Rock with the zebra. Hanja seemed to want to stop her, but Imani placed her paw on his shoulder, and he stopped.

"Let her to see better." said Imani.

Hanja stopped, but he extended his claws, seemingly ready to attack Kisasian if he did something at his daughter.

Meanwhile, Sparthi walked to Zira, and asked: "Sis… can we… I mean: I and Kira… go to meet our nephew?"

"Go." said Zira sadly. "But I warn you: consider yourselves lucky if he only drives you away by roaring. Don't expect any better treatment."

Sparthi and Kira scratched their heads in confusion, but they went away. They were still worried with Arista, obviously, but because the monkey said that he could do anything better for two hours, they decided that they could meet their nephew in the mean time.

Kisasian was dragging his prey to his usual ledge, when Adia followed him, and, when she was right behind him, asked shyly: "Uh… excuse me?"

The lion just dropped his kill and extended his claws, ready to hit on whoever had attacked him. He turned back with a surprising speed, and made a hit with his right paw. If the lioness was immobile, the blow would probably cut off her eyes, but the surprised Adia crouched on the last moment - and Kisasian, also surprised, managed to hide his claws on the last moment, when he saw that, whoever the lioness was, it wasn't anyone that he knew. The lioness was slightly older than him, probably as old as Nala. And she was incredibly beautiful, at least in Kisasian's eyes.

He began having what he could only classify as "weird feelings", but even so, he said roughly: "Who are you? You're not any Pridelander that I've seen before."

"That's because I'm not Pridelander." said Adia calmly. "By the way, my name is Adia, what's yours?"

"Kisasian." said the lion roughly. "And… what do you want?"

Then, he noticed as behind her, approached one lioness that he knew far too well, or at least, he thought so. He roared: "Out of here, mo…"

But when he noticed that the lioness's eyes were blue, he said, still like if he was roaring: "Wait! You are not my mother! WHO ARE YOU?"

From inside the cave, Zira scratched her head in confusion.

"He made a progress." said Scar bitterly. "At least, he asked to Kira who is she before driving her away."

Outside the cave, Kira replied to Kisasian: "I'm your aunt Kira."

"Aunt?" asked Kisasian confused, and for once, he stopped replying with roars. "I never knew I had an aunt. My mother never spoke about her side of the family."

Kira and Sparthi looked at each other, surprised at the fact that Zira had never told about them. But, before they could keep questioning each other with further questions, Kisasian shouted: "Anyway, if you two came here to say that you also think about me as worthless, you may go away as well!"

"What do you mean?" asked Sparthi, confused. "Why would they think about you as "worthless"?"

"Ask my father." said Kisasian roughly. "What is sure is that he told me once "you are not good enough to be king after me" when I did nothing!"

The three desert lions gasped, and Kisasian said: "And, if you came here to ask for my food, just because you are…"

"Show a little bit of respect for your family, OK?" replied Sparthi, beginning to get angry at the young lion.

"YOU ASK ME TO SHOW RESPECT?" asked Kisasian, shouting so much that Adia, who was close to him, was on the edge of deafness. "I'M NOT THE ONE WHO DISRESPECTS THE OTHERS! THEY ARE THE ONES WHO DISRESPECT ME! AND, IF THAT WAS WHAT YOU MEANT, YOU MAY TAKE THE ZEBRA! I'M NOT HUNGRY ANYMORE!"

Even so, he ripped off a piece of meat from the zebra's belly, and took it away to his ledge. Sparthi, Kira, and Adia were staring at him, confused, but also very sad.

"We managed to get the meal." said Kira. "But not in the way that we expected."

"I will talk to him." said Adia, determined. "You may take the zebra, sir."

With that, Sparthi took the zebra back to the cave, being followed by Kira. Scar and Zira were deeply amazed, seeing that, in spite of everything, they got the zebra.

"Well…" said Zira, with some kind of bitter amazement. "That's more that we've accomplished."

"Where's Adia?" asked Hanja, worried. "What has he done to her?"

"She said that she went to talk to Kisasian." said Kira.

Hanja seemed about to go and break her daughter apart of Kisasian, but then he remembered that Kisasian, for all the effects, was Scar's son, so he just sat there, chewing his will of splitting Kisasian and Adia.

Meanwhile, Scar divided some pieces of meat to any member of the desert pride, and later to the Pridelanders and the hyenas. None of them got with much, but not even a single member got without a piece. The hyenas complained that Scar gave them smaller pieces than to the prides, but Scar said: "Hyenas are smaller than lions, so they need to eat less. And proportionally to the size, I gave the same food to everyone."

"Then, why the black-maned has two pieces?" asked a random hyena, pointing to Hanja.

"The second piece is for his daughter." replied Scar, coldly.

On that moment, Sarabi came close to him.

"Scar?" asked Sarabi, coming close to the king. "May we talk? Privately?"

"Yes." said Scar.

He turned to Tojo, and said: "Tojo, please make some company to our guests."

Tojo nodded, and, after eating their pieces of meat, Scar and Sarabi came out of the cave, going to the top of Pride Rock. Scar asked coldly: "What do you want, Sarabi? Can't you see we have a situation?"

"That's just what I'm up to." replied Sarabi coldly. "Scar… I must admit one thing. I… and the pride in general… are amazed at how well you managed to keep control. Times are hard, but... you've been doing well. But now? With that pride here? You can't keep them! They already devoured a whole zebra, and drank water from the Border River, I bet!"

"And so?" asked Scar, coldly. "In case you didn't notice, they didn't complain about getting just small pieces of meat."

"That's not the point!" said the former queen. "We can't feed them! We will starve!"

"Perhaps." replied Scar. "But they are our guests. I won't let any guest to die in my domain. I won't let ANYONE to die in my domain. Right?"

"Scar…" insisted Sarabi with begging voice. "Don't let them steal our food and water…"

Scar bared his teeth, and said: "You have no idea what hunger is. You have no idea of what thirst is. I have, and, in case you don't remember, Zira also has. You know… when my father exiled me and Zira for some periods of time… in spite of we being only cubs on some of those times… we had to hunt our own food, sometimes eating only mice to cheat our hunger. Do you know what that is? But believe me… those lions are as desperate as I sometimes was. And I won't let them die! Understand?"

"You're saving them just because of your mate…" said Sarabi. "Just because they are Zira's pride. I wonder why they were so happy with seeing her. For she to have been exiled, it was surely for having done something terrible."

"It's hopeless to speak with you." said Scar, shaking his head.

"I can say the same." replied Sarabi. "Zira has messed up your ability to judge our present situation."

Scar extended his claws, and said, with tensed voice: "Don't make me nervous, Sarabi. I can do something you wouldn't even dream…"

Sarabi gasped, and Scar just said: "We will keep them here, and we will survive. Understand?"

The look on Scar's eyes left her without a reply, and she only nodded "yes". The king sighed, and with those words, climbed down Pride Rock again, leaving Sarabi alone.

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Kisasian lied down on his ledge, eating his piece of meat. He was ripping off only small pieces at once, but the way how he did it seemed to express that every gram of meat had offended him personally.

On that moment, he heard someone coming close to him. He turned atround, and saw that it was Adia.

"What do you want?" asked Kisasian roughly.

"To speak with you." said Adia, seemingly with infinite patience.

"If you came here to tell me that your pride also has outcasted me, you may leave." said the lion, before returning to eating the meat.

"No, I didn't come here to say that." said Adia, lying down at Kisasian's side.

The surprised Kisasian tried to back off, but something stopped him. For some reason, he wanted to be close to Adia, eventhough he barely knew her.

"What have you come to say, then?" asked Kisasian, finally speaking in normal voice.

"Well, I want…" said Adia, shyly. "I want to speak with you about… why are you so revolted with everyone, if you allow me to ask?"

"You've already asked." said Kisasian. And he stressed: "Without my permission. But I will answer."

Adia noticed that, for once, the lion was finally smiling a little bit, and so, she asked: "Then why?"

"Well…" said Kisasian. "They think about me as… worthless."

With those words, he just lied down, and sighed. But Kisasian's answer just made Adia more and more confused, instead of clearing things up.

"Why would they outcast you?" asked Adia, confused.

"Just because of this scar." said Kisasian.

"You mean the one over your left eye?" asked the lioness.

"Yes." said Kisasian. "It's just because of a stupid superstition that they have of a scar over the left eye being a sign of curse for the wounded lion."

On that moment, he gasped, scared of own words.

"I shouldn't have told that." thought Kisasian. "Now, Adia will run away from me, surely! How could I be so stupid?"

But, much to his surprise, Adia just hugged him, and he listened her whispering to herself: "Those Pridelanders are stupid. It's just a scar! The only curse that brings comes from superstitions."

"So… won't you run away from me?" asked Kisasian.

"Of course not, dummy!" said Adia, giving a playful smack on Kisasian's muzzle. "In fact, I even think that this scar…"

She blushed, before saying: "…makes you more attractive than what you are by nature. It gives you seriousness."

Kisasian blushed as well. It had been a long time since someone had talked so sweetly to him. He asked: "Do you mean it? All the lions around here say that I'm ugly."

"Then they are blind." said Adia. "And, even if you were, it's what is on the inside that counts. And I can tell you're a good lion. You would even make a good king…"

"If I got the chance." said Kisasian, and he began getting angry again. "But my father told me that "I'm not good enough to be a king"."

Adia stayed silent for some time, because she actually didn't know what to say. But she managed to say: "Listen… just because your father says that you can't be king… it doesn't mean that he doesn't love you. Kingship has nothing to do with that."

Kisasian didn't seem too convinced, but he stayed silent for some time, until he said: "I would prefer if my cousin Simba and my uncle Mufasa were still alive. Simba was my best friend, and he wouldn't care for this stupid SCAR!"

"I also don't care." said Adia, blushing.

And then she – blushing a lot – licked Kisasian's cheek. Kisasian blushed, but he did the same.

"Why don't you speak with your parents?" asked Adia. "I'm sure that they would be extremely happy… and... do you feel happy by being separated from your parents?"

"Of course not!" said Kisasian angrily. He added, with quite scared voice: "But… what if they reject me again?"

"If that comforts you, I can assure you that, whatever it happens, I will never leave you." said Adia. "I promise."

"Really?" asked Kisasian, like if he couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes." said Adia.

On the next moment, Kisasian just couldn't help but hug her. Adia did the same, but, on that moment, a roar sounded. Kisasian had never heard that roar before, but somehow, he understood what it meant.

"Something very serious has happened!" said Adia, deeply worried. "This roar is a signal from my pride when something serious happens."

Without waiting more, both Kisasian and Adia ran to the cave, deeply worried. Kisasian even didn't notice that he was doing something that he hadn't done in a year and a half: entering the cave.

When they entered, what they saw left both of them heartbroken.

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All the members of the Golden Pride, joined by Uzuri, were sitting down in circle around something, and even the Pridelanders seemed to feel some simpathy by the desert ones. Kisasian and Adia came to the circle of lionessses and lions. On the middle were Zira, Sparthi, and Kira. Zira was crying on Scar's shoulder, and Sparthi and Kira seemed to try to comfort each other. In the middle was also the comatose Arista, with Rafiki at his side. The mandrill was also very sad.

"What happened?" asked Kisasian.

Scar and Zira turned to him, clearly surprised with seeing him in the cave. Rafiki, seemingly the only one able to speak, said: "I… I checked his pulse from five to five minutes… and… the last time I checked his pulse… he hadn't any…"

The mandrill's voice failed on the last word. For some moments, neither Adia nor Kisasian reacted, but, shortly after, Adia began crying on Kisasian's shoulder. She wasn't crying as much as Zira, Sparthi, or Kira, or even Scar, and Kisasian hugged her.

On that moment, much to their surprise, Uzuri, who was crying almost as much as Zira stepped forward, and came to Arista's head. She said, with a surprisingly determined voice: "He… maybe he isn't dead… maybe his life signals are just too low to be noticed. I want to try a healing method…"

She asked shyly to Scar and Zira: "May I?"

The two were very surprised, but Scar said: "Go ahead. It can't do any harm."

"But what healing method can be better than Rafiki's herbs?" asked Tama with curious voice.

Rather than replying, Uzuri just walked closer to Arista, and placed her paw on the forehead of the comatose lion. Rama and Taraja made a sound of understanding, but all the others seemed deeply amazed at what she was trying.

She seemed in deep concentration, almost like if she was trying to pass some of her life energy to the lion. Maybe she actually was. And then, all the other lions in the cave began feeling a little bit strange. It seemed like if they were feeling something unusual in the air. All of them had questions to ask, but, for some reason, nobody dared to move. After almost a minute of that strange close contact and deep inhaling, Uzuri stepped back, panting slightly. She said: "If he isn't dead, this must work. At least, it worked when my grandmother did it."

"What do you mean?" asked Rafiki.

"My grandmother was the equivalent to a shaman during King Mohatu's reign." said Uzuri. "She knew about many herbs, but she also knew about this particular method. The most efficient of her healing methods, in fact. And she taught it me."

The Golden Pride seemed too amazed to reply, but anyway, they focused their stares on Arista. For some seconds, no sound was heard, except the buzzing of an annoying fly that passed through there. But, much to their surprise, Arista's tail moved, and he opened his eyes very slowly.

"Wh… what happened?" asked the lion, whispering.

But, for the sad pride, those whispers of life sounded like the most beautiful of the musics. The first one caught by Arista's look was Uzuri. And, in spite of the fact that he had seen her last thirteen years before, he instantly recognized her.

"Uzuri?" asked the lion, still whispering.

"Dad!" said Zira, hugging him. "You're alive!"

"Zira?" asked Arista, with a confused whisper. "You're alive? How can that be?"

"Don't worry about that for now, dad." said Zira. "What matters now is that you're well."

In spite of still having questions, Arista lifted his paw - weakly but firmly - and hugged his daughter.

"He will be well." said Uzuri. "But now you can't make him to do much efforts."

And then, she turned to the other lions and asked: "Does someone have any meat sparing?"

Kisasian said: "I do."

Without further questions, he just ran outside, and, in less than a minute, returned with the rest of the meat that he hadn't eaten, placing it in front of his grandfather.

"You should regain your strenght." said Uzuri. "So, eat, drink, and then rest a little bit."

"What happened here?" asked Arista. "How is Zira alive, and how…"

"Hush." said Uzuri gently, yet decisevely. "There will be a lot of time for questions when you recover."

She stepped back, and all the pride, mainly the Pridelanders, were looking on her with amaze, but also with respect. During all those years, Uzuri always had been known as a normal lioness, rather happy, even if she normally was a little bit sad, but just two hours of visits from a strange pride made them to understood that the real Uzuri had secrets to reveal.

"It is typical." said Sakia. "When we think that we know someone, that someone does something surprising."

All the lions in the cave agreed with the words of the greyfurred lioness.

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_Well then, what do you think? How do you feel now about Kisasian? I know that he is not the main theme of this chapter, but I wanted to give him some happiness. And I hope I managed to. Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	43. Chapter 42: Breaking the tension

_Hello again. Well... here it is a new chapter for you, with more developments about Kisasian, and also another more important business. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Sorry if the song sounds unusual, but... I thought it would fit. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 42 – Breaking the tension**

With the main problem of Arista's illness almost solved, Scar and Zira decided to turn to the other problem that they had to face. However, before they managed to do it, they were approached by Sparthi and Kira. The sandy-maned lion was the first to speak.

"Now that we know that dad will get fine, I think it is time for us to speak about another matter." said Sparthi.

"And what is it?" asked Scar, curiously.

Zira became rather scared. Now, her brother and sister would probably return to the matter of asking her about what she had been doing, and also why she hadn't returned home. But they decided to choose another matter, maybe even more painful.

"About your son." said Kira, speaking directly to Scar. "Why is he so angry and revolted?"

"Well…" said Zira hesitantly. "It's… it's our fault."

"At least partly." said Scar.

"Explain better, please." said one new voice.

They turned around, and noticed Dhalimu coming. He said: "I noticed you were speaking about my grandnephew, and I… heard about his attitude. Please, explain."

"Well…" said Scar very hesitantly. "Some time before… when my brother, Mufasa, was the king… Kisasian's best friend was his cousin. Mufasa's son, named Simba. Other than him, Kisasian's only friend was Tojo. But… Simba died on the same day when Mufasa died."

"How they died on the same day?" asked Kira, confused.

"On a wildebeest stampede." said Zira. Then, she returned to the main theme: "Since that day, well, Tojo became rather lonely, and… all the other cubs kicked out Kisasian… because of that scar."

"The one just like Scar's?" asked Kira, confused.

"Yes…" said Scar. "Here in the Pridelands, there is a legend that scar over left-eye is a mark from evil kings of the past, which means curse for the wounded lion. So… everyone ran away from him. Not us, but…"

"But what?" asked Sparthi, more and more curious.

Unlike what he thought, his sister and brother-in-law's story had only brought him more and more questions, rather than clarifying things.

"Well…" said Scar very hesitantly. "I told him that he, in spite the fact of being the first born… can't be king."

His voice broke on the last word, and Zira's siblings and uncle gasped from surprise. What would be Scar's reasons for not to make his first born son king, just like the tradition said? Kira was the first trying to ask that, but Scar, guessing the question, just replied: "He looks too much like my father."

Sparthi wanted to ask more about that business, but, before he asked, he remembered that, after all, it is the king's decision to choose who will be the heir, and doesn't have to be the king's son. Making the first born the heir is the tradition, but not the law. So, Zira's younger brother decided to turn to another point, asking: "Then who will be the heir?"

"One of my next cubs." said Zira.

"Just for me to ask…" said Dhalimu. "Have you ever tried to reconcile with him?"

"Lots of times." said Scar bitterly. "But he just doesn't let us to come close to him. Eversince that day, he refuses to enter the cave and to eat from our food."

"And he has survived without your food?" asked Kira, amazed.

"He hunts his own food, sis…" said Zira. "I checked that."

But Sparthi said: "However, today he entered the cave. Have you any idea of why he did it?"

"Honestly, no." said Scar, who still couldn't believe that fact. "But now that I think… on the moment when your father was supposed to be dead… he seemed to be conforting a lioness from your pride… she was Hanja's daughter, right?"

"Her name is Adia." said Sparthi. "And… before we got the zebra, Adia said that she went to talk to him, maybe she managed to break the ice that you couldn't."

"We'll talk to him." said Scar, turning to Zira. "Right, my dear?"

"Yes." replied Zira. "Maybe this time it won't be in vain…"

And so, the king and the queen left for their son's ledge.

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Kisasian was again talking to Adia. For a change, the talking theme was again his parents. Adia was trying to help him to do the next step.

"Shouldn't you apologize to your father and mother now?" asked Adia.

"And how do I know that they actually want to reconcile…" tried to ask Kisasian, but then he understood how stupid that question was, so he didn't finish it. His parents surely wanted to reconcile with him, otherwise they wouldn't have done so much attempts. But… would they want to reconcile now, after he had been so evil to them?

"Will… they want to reconcile with me now, after I have been so evil to them?" asked Kisasian, almost crying just for thinking on that.

"Kisasian…" said Adia with her usual patience. "You haven't been evil to them. You were just… heartbroken."

"I was so heartbroken that I was evil!" sobbed Kisasian, this time crying actually. "What if they…"

"You won't know it until you try." repeated the green-eyed lioness, still in the same patient voice.

Kisasian got up, but in the end, he asked fearfully: "Will you… come with me?"

Adia sighed, and said: "No. Sorry, but I'm not your family. I can't interfere with your family's matters. It is a matter that you will have to face alone."

Kisasian wanted to ask to Adia why she didn't come with him, but something stopped him from doing that. He just got up, and walked away very slowly, going to find his parents.

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Shortly after leaving his ledge, Kisasian found Scar and Zira in the middle of the way. He noticed that they had just arrived, but somehow seeing them earlier than expected annoyed him. However he decided not to let his rage to control him this time.

"You weren't eavesdropping my talk with Adia, right?" asked Kisasian in the less enraged way that he managed to.

"No, we weren't." said Scar, who couldn't be more honest. They had arrived on the moment, and now they were seeing Kisasian, who seemed less angry than usual.

"Oh…" said Kisasian.

But then he stopped in his words, rather unsure of what to say.

"Mom… dad…" began the young lion. "I… I… want to say…"

"What, son?" asked Scar. He was feeling a little bit anxious. Maybe his son… no, that would be too good to be true.

"I want to say…" insisted Kisasian, but he didn't advance more. "I need to say… sorry…"

With the last word, his voce seemed to break and his shoulders haunched, as he sat down and looked at the ground, seemingly with shame of facing his parents. Scar and Zira looked like if they didn't believe their ears. After some seconds, the royal couple approached Kisasian very carefully. Scar was the first to speak: "Sorry? But for what?"

"For having been so… brute to you… and to everybody…" said Kisasian. He added: "And for... everything I've done to you."

"Son…" said Zira affectionately. "We are the ones who should apologize, but believe… it's not that…"

"I know." thought Kisasian, with some tears appearing on his eyes. "Just because I won't be king it doesn't mean that you don't love me."

But he didn't dare to say it aloud, now fearful that every wrong gesture or word would break up the already remote chance that he had of reconcilling with his parents. Scar and Zira also didn't dare to talk, but then, at the same time, both of them remembered of a single gesture that they hoped to explain all their feelings.

Scar and Zira hugged their son at the same time. Kisasian seemed surprised, it was the first time in a year and a half that he had been hugged by someone, but he accepted, and even retributed.

They stayed like there for some moments, without speaking, but somehow, the silence spoke for them all. When the hugging finally stopped, Kisasian said: "Well… don't expect me to change so fast, but… is there any room in the cave left for me?"

"Yes, son." replied Scar. "Of course there is room in the cave left for you."

"And…" asked Kisasian, almost hopefully. "I have another question…"

"Make it, son." said Zira.

"Well… now that we got along fine again… will I be king?" asked Kisasian hopefully.

Scar and Zira's happiness disappeared in an instant. They had wanted to reconcile with their son, but that wouldn't mean that they would make him king. And now, they didn't know how to explain that to Kisasian without making him angry again.

Kisasian probably understood that, because he said: "I won't get angry if you don't want… because it's possible that I will be king anyway."

Scar and Zira gasped. Kisasian making such an affirmation… it was almost scary. As if he wanted to use every possible mean to become king. But he only said: "Calm down. What I meant, is that, if I'm not king here, there is the possibility – but for now it's just that – of Adia and me, some years from now, going away to start our pride. I don't know yet… but I won't get angry."

"Well…" said Scar hesitantly. "No, son, we won't make you king."

"Oh…" said Kisasian. It seemed that he was still disappointed, but not angry. "Alright."

Kisasian turned away, maybe a little bit sad, but he said, before deffinetly going away: "Don't worry about that. I love you anyway."

Scar and Zira just couldn't help but to make a refief sigh. At least, the reconciliation hadn't been broken.

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Adia waited for Kisasian patiently, and eventually he came.

"What happened?" asked Adia calmly.

Even before Kisasian gave an answer, Adia guessed it, because her new friend seemed to have a clearly relieved face, which could only mean one thing: he and his parents had actually reconcilled. But, anyway, it seemed that Kisasian wanted to tell her something more.

"Uh… thank you, Adia." said Kisasian.

"Thank you?" asked Adia, confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Because…" said Kisasian shyly. "If not for you, I think that I would still be angry and revolted against everyone… well, maybe I still am a little bit… but I think it will change with time."

"The pleasure was all mine." said Adia, smiling.

"She has a really beautiful smile." thought Kisasian, smiling to her, eventhough he had tensed muscles on his muzzle, like if they had forgotten how to smile.

On that moment, surprisingly, Adia pounced on him and pinned him on his back. In normal circunstances, probably Kisasian would have reacted faster, but he was still feeling too focused on Adia's smile to make any dodge.

"Pinned ya!" said Adia, laughing.

And then, she jumped again, releasing Kisasian. He got up, and saw Adia running away from him, still laughing. Her laughter was like the sweetest music to Kisasian's ears.

"Come here!" said Kisasian with a vaguely naughty voice, chasing Adia with all the speed that he was able to give.

The playing couple passed by Scar and Zira almost without noticing it, and then they left Pride Rock. Suddenly, Hanja and Imani came out of the cave, right on time to see Kisasian and Adia descending Pride Rock, and Hanja heard Adia's voice shouting playfully: "You missed again!"

For some moments, Hanja seemed like if a heavy rock had hit him on the head. When he managed to recover, he shook his head, and asked to Imani, still with hesitant voice: "My dear… is it just me… or our daughter is friend of the prince?"

"You could say so." said Imani, who, unlike Hanja, didn't seem surprised, and smiled at the sight of her daughter and Kisasian playing.

Hanja sighed, and lowered his head, again with a sad expression: "It's only a pity… that Jambazi and Nduli are dead…"

"My dear…" said Imani, nuzzling Hanja's muzzle. "I know it is hard… but… I don't say they deserved… but you must admit that they caused many trouble…"

Hanja's eyes seemed to darken, and he said: "I never said that they didn't cause anything. But why they had to die? I lost my brothers and cousin too fast! My best friends all at once!"

Hanja's voice broke again, and two tears came out of his eyes. Imani hugged her mate gently. Eventually, Hanja stopped sobbing, but in the end, he said: "I just wonder what happened to Bovu. If he's still alive somewhere."

"Don't care about Bovu." said Imani gently. "He's strong. I'm sure he is well. Be more concerned about us."

Hanja sighed, and again looked at the savannah of the Pride Lands.

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On that night, the Golden Pride stayed on the back chambers of Pride Rock, and, for once in many days, they slept peacefully. Eventhough Arista was almost healed, Uzuri stayed guarding him, accompanied by Zira and Scar.

But, of all the Pridelanders, almost no one was sleeping at all. When they realized that all the desert lions were sleeping normally, Sarabi gathered the whole pride (except Uzuri, who was still guarding Arista) on the eastern zone of Pride Rock, and they began another of their now typical secret meetings to discuss one problem.

"Pride…" said Sarabi. "I assume that now all of you know of our most recent problem that has appeared on Pride Rock. Specifically, those dammed desert lions, the pride of that outsider Zira."

"So far, they've done nothing wrong." said Nala thoughtfully.

"I don't call "nothing wrong", at devouring large portions of kill." said Sarabi.

"But…" said Kula, a little bit hesitantly. "They devoured as much meat as we… and surely less than the hyenas."

On that moment, Kula's stomach gurgled loudly. It was always like that eversince the beginning of the drought. Kula wasn't any thinner, but with the food being carefully distributed, she was always hungry. A large appetite had always been her greatest weakness.

"We don't need more lectures about your appetite, fat Kula!" said Kilia mockingly.

"Kula isn't fat!" said Tojo. "At least not more than you!"

"What are you calling me…" said Kilia, baring slightly her teeth.

"You are equal on that point." said Chumvi calmly.

"We are not here to speak about that." said Sarabi, and the young members got silenced. "Our problem are those outsiders! We can't feed them! We will most likely starve."

"That's right." said Moyo. "Scar only kept them here because they are the original pride of his mate. He's not acting logically."

"I'm not so sure of that." said Mega, interrupting the golden-maned lion.

All the pride looked at him, and Mega, and, sensing that all were paying attention to him, the old lion kept speaking: "Quite by the contrast, the desert pride may be exactly the help that we needed in order to survive. The drought isn't yet coming too hard…"

"But when it will, we will starve, alongside those outsiders, dad!" said Jani, somewhat desperate.

"I haven't finished speaking yet!" said Mega, in a surprisingly decisive voice.

Amazed by the decisiveness in Mega's voice, all the pride reverted to silence, and Mega kept speaking: "They are desert lions. They can stand the drought much better than we do. They will surely be a good help when it comes to look for preys. Scar probably understands this."

"But how can the Pride Lands feed at the same time two prides and a hyena clan, grandpa?" asked Tojo, whose claws were extended when he thought about the hyenas.

"If the hyenas obey the rules that Scar kept, there will be no problems." said Mega calmly.

But all the pride noticed that, after speaking, Mega extended his claws, and his eyes seemed to say: "But since when hyenas obey the rules?"

Sarabi noticed that, and said, in the calmer voice that she could have: "Mega may be right. But there is always the problem of the hyenas. However… we have a problem now. With those lions around here, it will sound too suspicious for them if Tojo challenges Scar and takes over. We must think if another thing."

The pride was amazed, and Sarabi just said: "For now, we will simply focuse on training until all the younger members are full-grown. Please… and this is important for all of you… try not to have cubs until this drought is finished."

Sensing that such a request seemed extremely impertinent, she added: "It is just because having cubs during such a time it is extremely hard and dangerous. When you are full-grown… well, we have to look for a rogue who will take down Scar."

Almost everyone gasped, and Tojo said: "So… I won't be doing the training with Rafiki more?"

"You will." said Sarabi trustfully. "If the rogue becomes too aggressive, we will also need someone to take him down."

"This is becoming more and more complicated." said Sakia, and everyone looked at her. The greyfurred lioness kept speaking: "We are plotting against the king! That is a crime! We should all know of that. Why don't we just let them to rule?"

"Sakia…" said Sarabi with the more patient voice that she could have. "Do you honestly think that Scar will keep everything under control? Things are growing more and more complicated! So… when all of the young ones are full-grown, or almost, we find the rogue. If we decide that he's nice enough to rule, he will take down Scar. I mean, the Golden Pride would never suspect of a rogue being in league with us. And, if the rogue challenges Scar, only Scar can kill him. Alone."

Sakia still insisted that it was all unnecessary, but Sarabi replied with her now-usual quote: "Caution is never too much."

Everyone was forced to agree with that. Caution was never too much. So, all the members of the pride returned to their sleeping places. All, except one.

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Shani came out of the cave, and lied down, looking at the stars, trying to notice her father's star among there, but that wasn't exactly what worried her.

Kisasian was what worried her. All the members of her pride were driven away by her heartbroken cousin, and yet Adia managed to do in one day what everyone there failed in doing for a year and a half.

"Why should I complain?" asked Shani in mind. "Kisasian is happy with his new friend, and I should be happy about that."

Shani inhaled deeply, like if speaking in mind made her tired, and then, she thought: "But for some reason, I am not. Is it because that stranger stole Kisasian from me? Well, technically he wasn't mine, because I drove him away on the day after becoming friends with him. But… I was counting that when I became mature, I and Kisasian would leave and start our pride! But… how could I be so stupid to the point of thinking that he would stand four or five years being kicked out by everyone?"

But on that moment, some voice on her mind shouted: "It's everything because of that outsider Adia! If not for her, Kisasian would still be free, maybe even until you were mature."

Shani seemed to accept that thought. She knew that Adia wouldn't be driven away by Scar, because the king already had said that she and her pride would stay… which meant Adia and Kisasian becoming closer and closer… and probably, if they kept there for long, maybe they even would become mates…

"Well, I lost my cousin because of my stupidity, but that doesn't mean I will accept this peacefully!" said Shani in mind.

Shani got up and walked to the cave, to her sleeping place. Kisasian was even sleeping in the cave now, like she noticed. Adia even had managed to reconcile him with his parents. But that wasn't one of Shani's biggest worries.

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Arista recovered just some days after arriving to Pride Rock. Thanks to Uzuri's constant care, soon the old king was as strong and healthy as before of his illness. Probably even better, because, as everyone on the desert pride noticed, he was unusually happy, like some of the younger members didn't even remember of seeing him.

Uzuri also seemed unusually happy, and, among the Pridelanders, no one had actually seen her being happy. But it seemed that, with the return of her best cubhood friend, happiness almost exploded in the heart of the old lioness.

Some of the younger members of both prides even began feeding the rumor that the old lion was in love with Uzuri, but those rumors weren't taken too seriously.

Finally, when Arista had recovered completely, he decided to pass to his most important priority: speak with Zira about everything that had happened to her during all the years when she wasn't home. Misteriously, she was trying to delay that subject the most that she could, but now that Arista had recovered completely, there was no excuse for delays.

So, Arista asked to Rama to lead the hunting team of the desert pride, and Zira decided to ask to Uzuri to lead the hunting team of Pridelanders. Both the lionesses were surprised with that request, but they noticed the actual reason behind those requests, so they took the dutie.

After both hunting teams had gone away, Arista and Zira began speaking in a calm and peaceful place. Scar, Sparthi, Kira, and Dhalimu were also there. The old lion with sandy mane began speaking first: "My dear… now that I've recovered I believe that we can talk about all those years when you weren't here…"

"Yes, dad." said Zira with breaking voice.

"My dear…" began Arista. "First… well, you've really grown… but you're so thin, you probably had many problems… and why that missing piece on your right ear?"

"Oh, this?" asked Zira, almost too casually. "Don't worry. This is just the result of the treatment that the Pridelanders give to an outsider."

Arista didn't know what was worst, if the things that Zira said, or if the casual tone of her voice.

"But…" asked Kira, suddenly interrupting her father. "Why have you stayed here being treated so badly?"

"I thought that Uzuri took good care of you!" said Dhalimu with shocked voice.

"It's not Uzuri's fault." said Zira. "She tried to take care of me in the best possible way, but the pride refused to give her food to feed me. Her food had to be divided by me, by Sakia, and by herself. That's one of the reasons why I grew up so thin."

"However, Sakia didn't grow up thin." said Sparthi. "You did. Why?"

"Oh…" said Zira, again in her casual voice. "This is just the result of King Ahadi's punishments. Periods of exile, if you get what I mean. During that time, I had to hunt alone… with Scar's help. We were frequently exiled together."

Things were getting more and more confusing by the second. Sparthi asked: "I thought Scar was a prince. Why was he exiled?"

"My father hated me." said Scar, in the same casual voice of Zira. "In fact, my original name was Taka. Scar was my name after I got this…"

He pointed to the scar over his left eye, and said, again casually: "My father gave it to me when I was six months old cub. I was exiled for a month after that."

"One day after the beginning of his exile, Scar saved me of drowing in the Border River." said Zira, and everyone noticed the loving look that she gave to her mate.

"Hold on a second." said Dhalimu, waving his paw to Zira, but turning to Scar. "Your father, the king, treated you like that? Why? That behaviour is unproper for a king. And mainly, of Mohatu's son! I mean, I never knew Mohatu, but Arista, and King Ananias, when he lived, told me many great things about him. I thought that a good king like Mohatu was would raise his son properly!"

"My father was the king, but, according to Mega, he was a rogue. Mega also was. He and my father grew up together, but don't ask him more, because he won't tell you. He promised to my father that he wouldn't tell anyone about the life that they had before coming to the Pride Lands. My mother, Uru, was the actual heir. My father just became king because he became her mate." said Scar, and for once he left the casual tone.

"Oh…" said Dhalimu, with an understanding voice. "I see…"

"But that still doesn't explain why you kept here standing those awful things when you could return home!" said Arista to Zira with sad voice. "Didn't you love us anymore? Or did you love Scar so much that you wanted to stay here with him? We would accept him, and I'm sure that, eventually, he would want to come."

"Well…" said Scar, with a sad tone. "While my mother lived, I had to be here, I couldn't leave her. In fact, after her and my grandmother's deaths… I had no reason to be here, but Zira didn't want to return."

"Why, my dear?" asked Arista, looking at Zira, seemingly on the edge of bursting in tears. "We would accept you and him."

And then, Zira just couldn't stand. She burst in tears, that she had been repressing for many years. This was the moment that she feared the most. However, she had to tell the truth. She spoke: "Well… when I and mom were almost arriving at the Pride Lands… she said that we had to rest in the shade of a rock… but I didn't want to rest… I climbed the rock to the top… I went to the edge to look down at mom… and when I turned around… I incidentally pushed a small stone… it fell… when I climbed down I heard the sound of stones falling… and my mom… was…"

Sparthi, Kira, Dhalimu and Arista gasped. So that explained everything. They had found Malkha's body in the shade of a rock, covered by heavy stones, and someone had to push them. Maybe the someone had also taken Zira… but now…

"It was all my fault." sobbed Zira. "I killed… my own mother… I'm a monster…"

Zira just kept crying, but then she looked at her siblings and uncle's face. They seemed too surprised to speak, but Zira was sure that they wouldn't forgive her. She tried to look at her father, whose expression seemed undisturbable. But then, surprisingly, he hugged Zira. Zira was too shocked by that, so she didn't even react.

She finally asked: "So… you forgive me?"

/"Forgiveness" song. Tune is rather melancholic, but also grave, and somehow a little bit happy on the chrous bits. Zira is looking on Arista still with sad eyes, and Arista still seems somewhat shocked, but he hugs Zira. We see Sparthi, Kira, and Dhalimu recovering from the surprise. Scar seems somewhat ready to jump in./

First verse: Arista

_I think I know how could you feel_

_And what has kept you long away_

_What made all your years so ill_

_But time has come to cure this strain_

/Zira seems surprised, but Arista steps back, and Dhalimu steps in. Zira looks even more scared, but Dhalimu doesn't seem too angry, only surprised. We also see Sparthi and Kira, who are still somewhat surprised./

Dhalimu:

_And so we are – all you have known_

_To forgive, forget, never back_

_Is that so strange we let it go_

_And clear tomorrow from past's black?_

/Zira seems slightly relieved, but still a little bit uncertain. Scar comes to her and hugs her. Then, camera focuses on Arista and Dhalimu./

Chorus: Arista and Dhalimu

_We forgive you all what's wrong_

_Knowing it was a mistake_

_Price you might pay as you grow_

_One false step for lots you take_

/Camera focuses temporarially on Zira, who looks somewhat surprised, and opens her mouth to reply, but Scar closes it with his paw. Camera focuses on Arista and Dhalimu again./

_And we ask you for the same_

_Your forgiveness for our fall_

_As we failed to keep you safe_

_Cause our care was much too small_

/Camera shows Sparthi and Kira coming forward, while Arista and Dhalimu step back. They face Zira, with a begging look./

Second verse: Sparthi

_We've lost hope and we've lost faith_

_So we never tried to find you_

_And that is where we have failed_

_Shouldn't leave your kins behind you_

/Zira seems very surprised, but, on that moment, the three siblings hug each other. Camera turns around them, and we see that all are crying./

Kira:

_But you're here, alive and well_

_We were given second chance_

_If some apologies are to tell_

_We should speak them all at once_

/Zira whispers something to them, and Sparthi and Kira reply at the same time. We see that Arista and Dhalimu have aproached, and they also say somehing. From lips movement we assume that they all said: "You're forgiven". The three lions and the two lionesses join in a "family hug". We see Scar smiling on the background./

Chorus: Sparthi, Kira, Arista, and Dhalimu

_We forgave you all what's wrong_

_Knowing it was a mistake_

_Price you might pay as you grow_

_One false step for lots you take_

/Camera turns around the hugging lions, and some wind blows around them. The five lions smile as the wind blows on them./

_And we asked you for the same_

_Your forgiveness for our fall_

_Knowing we won't fail again_

_As our love will keep us all_

/They separate from the hug. Zira goes back to Scar. Song finishes./

"See?" whispered Scar to his mate, in a way that only she could hear. "I always told you that your family would understand that it was an accident."

Arista heard that, but this time he pretended he didn't listen, and came to his daughter..

"My dear… and you too, Scar… I want to ask you a favour…"

"What is it, dad?" asked Zira, intrigued.

"Well… I'm getting old… so… I want to ask you and Scar… to take my place… I'm getting too old to rule…"

"What?" asked Scar and Zira at the same time, and with the same amazed expression.

Sparthi, Kira and Dhalimu didn't seem so amazed, but Zira was shocked: "I… I can't… I wish I was half of the leader that you were…"

"Please…" said Arista, with slightly begging voice. "Anyway… you were originally meant to be my heir, Zira… I know it will be hard… but… it would be a good way of unite the two prides. We must be as united as we could if we want to survive this drought."

"Alright." said Zira, eventhough she was still uncertain. "I accept. If Scar also accepts, that is."

They all looked at Scar, who seemed even more uncertain that Zira. But finally, he said, bowing at Arista: "I would feel very honoured. I don't think I deserve it, but if you trust me…"

"Then, I assume it is settled." said Arista.

Sparthi, Dhalimu and Kira nodded.

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But Arista had another unfinished business to solve. And he decided to do it when the hunting teams returned. After the meal, the former king of the Golden Pride decided to go to Uzuri, who was lying down on her usual place of the cave, to rest.

"Hi, Uzuri." said the lion.

"Hello… sir." said Uzuri a little bit confused.

When they had seen for the last time, the lion was just a six months old cub, and she used to call him just by his name. But now… he was, or at least had been, a king. While she was still an ordinary lioness.

"Could I talk with you for a moment?" asked Arista. "Privately?"

"Sure… sir." said the lioness, getting up.

"Sir?" asked Arista. "We are still friends, aren't we? You can still call me Arista… at least when we are alone."

"Alright, Arista." replied Uzuri instantly.

The two went to the eastern side of Pride Rock, followed by the looks of the whole pride. What could have Arista to tell Uzuri that he wanted to speak with her privately? But, when the two arrived there, they just sat down.

The two stayed in silence for a while… until the lion said: "Uh… thank you."

"For what?" replied the lioness, confused.

"For taking care of Zira." explained Arista. "I mean… she was my daughter… like you most likely already know…"

"You shouldn't thank me." said Uzuri sadly. "I guess I didn't manage to protect her completely from King Ahadi's wrath or Sarabi's hatred, among other things. Only Scar managed to protect her completely."

"But still, it's thanks to you that she's alive." said the lion. "And… I thank you for that."

"You're welcome." said the blue-eyed lioness back.

The two just sat in silence for a longer while, until the former desert king said: "Oh well… you've grown since I last saw you."

"I could say the same." replied Uzuri. "But I guess you aren't that different from when you were a cub. I mean… on some more… particular details."

Arista just couldn't help but to groan. He knew what were the particular details that Uzuri was talking about. But then… he smiled naughtily, and said: "Oh yeah? Now you don't have that advantage! Now I'm bigger than you."

"That doesn't change a thing." replied Uzuri, making the same kind of naughty smile.

"We'll see about that!" replied the lion.

And then… with some kind of a behaviour rather unproper for a king and a lion of that age, Arista pounced on Uzuri playfully. The lioness wasn't exactly prepared for that, but her response was the same that she used to do on their cubhood. Rolling backwards, she managed to pin Arista on his back, and smiled naughtily at him. The lion just couldn't help but to groan. It had been exactly like in their cubhood, in spite of the fact that now he dominated over Uzuri in body constitution.

The lioness placed her paws on Arista's neck in a sign of victory, but then Arista said: "Uh… no, I'm ticklish, OK?"

"You are?" asked Uzuri with naughty voice.

It was too late for the lion to mend his mistake. Before he could do anything to avoid it, Uzuri was with her head and paws buried in his mane, blowing and tickling. The former desert king just laughed uncontrollably as he tried to get rid of Uzuri.

How much time they passed doing that, none of them could tell, but they stooped when a voice said: "Uh… Arista?

The lion and the lioness looked around, and saw Dhalimu and at least half of the Golden Pride and Pridelanders looking at them with confused stares.

Blushing so much that their faces got red, Arista and Uzuri just let go of each other, slightly ashamed of a behaviour so unproper for their age.

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The ceremony happened a few days later. It was short, because of the hard times, and the only ones who truly assisted were the members of both prides. The Golden Pride was very shocked when they heard that their king was going to step down, but it wouldn't be too bad if her place would be taken over by his daughter and her mate. In normal conditions, Kisasian would also be proclaimed heir, but because of Scar's decision of not making him to rule after him, that didn't happen. However, his son wasn't angry anymore.

"Scar and Zira, monarchs of the Pride Lands and the Golden Pride!" proclaimed Zazu on the end of the ceremony.

All the members of both prides bowed, but not all of them did it respectfully, and not all of them did it so fast. The last one bowing was Sarabi, but the time-difference wasn't too obvious.

"Looks like I was right." thought Sarabi. "We have to keep the training, and go forward with the plan of the rogue. I will tell them that tonight."

On the end, Zira walked to Sarabi, and began speaking, in the less cold voice that she managed to use.

"Sarabi…" said Zira very slowly. "I want to ask you a favour. It's for the interest of both prides. I want to ask you to lead the Pridelander hunting team. In that way, we will be able to spread through a bigger area, and the chances of success are most likely. So, do you accept? It's for the interest of your own pride."

Sarabi looked at Zira with an angry look, clearly implying that she thought that Zira was trying to buy her trust. But she said, trying not to sound too poisonous: "As you wish… my lady."

Zira bared slightly her teeth, but she just turned back to Scar, and replied with hollow voice: "She accepted. But this will be hard. I don't think our prides accept each other well. At least for now."

"That will change in time." said Scar. "At least that's what I believe."

But somehow both of them already knew that relationship between the two prides wasn't going to be peaceful.

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_Well... what do you think? Was this chapter good? Review, please! I still need opinions._


	44. Chapter 43: Simba's first hunt

_Hello. Here it is a new chapter. Now, after three chapters on the Pride Lands, we return to Simba's life in the jungle. I once again insert some time measures in the chapter, but for you to know, 6 months have passed since the day when the Golden Pride arrived to the Pride Lands, 2 years have passed since the day of Shani's birth, 28 months have passed since the day of Mufasa's death, and 3 years have passed since the day of Simba's birth. Just to make things clear._

_Mshauri (male), and Masafa (male), are TakaPL's characters, and I have his permission to use them. Eruvu (male) and Shabaki (male) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Now that this is over, let's begin. _

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**Chapter 43 – Simba's first hunt**

On the jungle, life was much easier than on the Pride Lands, because that place hadn't been affected by the drought. So, Simba had enough food to grow up strong and healthy, or at least it was easier for him than for the Pridelanders. Mkalimu taught Simba in her best possible way, and, eventhough Simba wasn't as good at sneaking or scouting as Mkalimu was, most likely he was better at that than most of the lions of his size and age, a result of being trained by a leopardess. Mkalimu trained Simba in her best possible way, being sure that in the future he would most likely need of everything that she could teach.

Simba still had some time for relaxing, and, when that happened, he just walked around with Timon and Pumbaa, playing their games, helping Pumbaa to lift the trunks, or simply relaxing. Timon and Pumbaa weren't feeling too worried with the fact of Mkalimu being teaching to their "little boy" so many skills related with predation, as long as Simba didn't use it on them. And he wouldn't do it. After all, he had been the one to proclaim that they were off-limits.

Simba was now a three years old lion, with a crimson mane that already covered almost completely his neck, and had started to cover his shoulders. He was rather big for his age, and as full grown he probably would be as big as his father. Eventually, the time of his first lone hunt was coming. He and Mkalimu had always hunted together, but it would eventually come the time for him to hunt alone. On that day, Simba and Mkalimu were sneaking a herd of giant sable antelopes, with Timon and Pumbaa hidden close to them, watching. On the beginning, it had been hard to stand for them to see Simba and Mkalimu killing other animals, but they eventually admitted that it was just "The Circle of Life", and it would be even harder to see that Simba had gotten in danger when they weren't with him, so they followed him everywhere. Simba often complained about Timon and Pumbaa's overprotectiveness, but they just didn't change it, and the lion had no other solution than to get used to it.

"Now…" was whispering Mkalimu to Simba. "This is our last training session. I taught you everything that I know. Tomorrow is your first lone hunt. But before that, let's do one hunting together."

Simba nodded, but without taking his eyes of his picked target: a large male slightly isolated from the rest of the herd of sable antelopes. The antelope would surely give a good meal to him and Mkalimu. It would be less dangerous to choose an injured individual, but because he didn't see any, he focused on choosing the one who was more isolated from the herd.

"Now, I go further, and you chase your target in my direction. Understand?" whispered the leopardess. Simba nodded, and Mkalimu went away.

Simba stayed in his cover and waited the time that he thought to be necessary for Mkalimu to reach the indicated place. He waited for that moment, and, when that arrived, he raced into the herd of sable antelopes. He moved surprisingly silently for a lion of his size, so, the sable antelopes took some time to react. When they ran away, the isolated sable antelope tried to join the herd, but Simba blocked his way, which made the sable antelope to turn around and run away in a completely different direction, with Simba chasing him. However, the lion wasn't making the antelope to run into Mkalimu.

Simba gained some ground, approaching behind the antelope, in an attempt to make him to turn around. If Simba jumped on that moment, he would probably land on the sable-antelope's back and make him to fall.

However, on the last moment before Simba jumping to the antelope and making his first lone hunt earlier than expected, something happened. The panicked prey turned his back to Simba, and, with a desperate move, kicked. It happened that the antelope was an old and experienced male, with a good aim, and his hind legs hit Simba's forehead with extreme precision.

Simba had to stop, feeling dizzy, confused, and with a big headache. The sable-antelope's hoofs had hit him with surprising strenght, opening a wound, not breaking the bone only by miracle.

Simba felt hot blood flowing through his eyes and forehead, barely able to stand, and with the blood already entering his eyes and dimming his sight. However, even with a dimmed sight, Simba noticed something that left him disturbed and at the same time very scared. The sable antelope, which kept running away after hitting Simba, stopped after noticing that he had hit the target and, with some kind of aggressivity rather typical of giant sable antelopes, specially males, turned back, to finish the job that he had failed in doing on the first hit.

"Oh… no." thought Simba, when he saw the sable antelope running in his direction. "I'm done for…"

The enraged antelope ran to Simba, and the young lion thought that he would probably pierce him with his horns. But the antelope tried a different approach. After coming close to Simba's head, he turned around, and raised his hind legs for the final blow on the lion's head.

"Goodbye…" whispered Simba in mind.

He wanted to speak, but the headache made him barely conscious of his own body, so he couldn't even move his lips, and would be even harder to make any dodge. He wanted to lie down – maybe that was the best option to avoid the antelope's second hit - but his legs weren't obeying him in anything. So, he just looked helplessly at the antelope who was already delivering the final blow.

However, some instants before the antelope's hoofs broke through Simba's skull, the young lion felt as someone hit his side with an impetus that threw him about a metre and a half aside. It wasn't too much, but enough to make the antelope's hoofs not to hit Simba. The lion collapsed after being pushed, but he heard the sound of breaking bones and the painful shout that followed.

The young lion thought to have recognized the shout, and tried to move his head, but the headache was still too big for him to be aware of his muscles. But, from the sounds that he heard, he assumed that the antelope was moving, ready to mend his second mistake.

However, on that time, he heard the sound of a well-known animal running into the scene.

Noticing that the antelope was about to try another hit, Timon and Pumbaa had rushed in, desperately trying to make him to stop. Pumbaa charged under the antelope, hitting one of his forelegs with his right tusk. The antelope fell on the ground, overturned by surprise, but he quickly got up, and noticed who had hit him.

"Hey, pea-brain, we're here!" shouted Pumbaa.

"Get us if you dare!" added Timon, sitting on his friend's back.

The duo managed the expected result. The giant sable-antelope, enraged and already warmed up on the fight, charged at Timon and Pumbaa. The warthog ran away with his maximum speed.

Simba finally manage to overcome the headache enough to get up. The first thing he did after being back on four paws (even if very unstable), was to look at the one who had just saved him. And, eventhough his sight was dimmed, Simba saw well enough who had saved him, but at the same time he couldn't believe his eyes.

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Mkalimu was right there, lied down, unable to get up, with a wound on her chest, opened by the sable-antelope's hoofs. She breathed very shallowly, which made Simba to assume that the antelope's kick had broken some of Mkalimu's ribs, and at least one had pierced through her lungs. She couldn't get up, however, when she noticed that Simba was alive, she smiled painfully.

"Simba…" she whispered, while some blood came out of her mouth. "You're well…"

"But you are not…" sobbed Simba, coming closer to Mkalimu. "You… I must do anything to help you… look for those herbs that you gave me…"

"No…" whispered the leopardess, with her voice getting weaker by the second. "It's useless…"

"It isn't useless!" almost shouted Simba, but when he spoke higher, his headache returned, so he stayed silent for some moments. "We have to do something… you will be all right… you will live…"

But it was useless. The leopardess's broken ribs had pierced her lungs, and she was slowly suffocating with her lungs filled with blood. Simba hugged Mkalimu, and some drops of his blood mixed with tears fell on Mkalimu's fur. She smiled again, lifting her paw and stroking Simba's cheek affectionately. She spoke again: "Yes… I will live… in you…"

Simba began crying even more. Mkalimu said, with even weaker voice: "Simba… remember me…"

She added, apparently nothing to Simba: "I'm coming, my dears…"

After that, she said, with her eyes almost dead: "Remember me… Simba… goodbye…"

Finally, Mkalimu's eyes closed, and her head fell on the ground. She had a peaceful smile on her lips, but at the same time she had some pain on her face.

"NOOOOO!" shouted Simba, trying to release all of his pain in that single roar.

The young lion wrapped his paws around Mkalimu, sobbing, while tears and drops of blood fell on her fur.

"Why it has to be like that?" thought Simba. "I caused the death of at least another one that I love… do I attract bad luck over those who are close to me? And not only her… possibly also Timon and Pumbaa… if they didn't manage to escape that crazy antelope… oh… I wonder if the problem would be solved if I died…"

But then, surprisingly, Simba felt some kind of wild rage blowing inside him, and he unconsciously bared his teeth and extended his claws. He felt the blood flowing through his cheeks and shoulders.

"Tomorrow…" thought Simba. "Tomorrow is the day of my first hunt… my first hunt will be that stupid antelope… I will make him to regret to have killed Mkalimu! I will kill him, or die trying."

Hunting was normally a way of getting a meal good to survive another day, not a way of avenging someone, but this time it was very different.

Simba placed Mkalimu's body on his back, and went away, looking for a decent grave to his adopted mother.

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Timon and Pumbaa returned to their usual bed of leaves on that night. They were rather scared and worried with Simba, but physically, they were unharmed. The two friends noticed the young lion lying down at the base of the huge tree, crying. Timon jumped from Pumbaa's back, and placed his hand of Simba's side, while Pumbaa placed his hoof on Simba's left shoulder.

The young lion couldn't help but to feel better. Timon and Pumbaa weren't lions, but at least they were a comforting presence, and showed compassionate towards his pain.

"Where's Mkalimu?" asked Timon.

"She…" tried to say Simba. "She… she… died…"

Both Timon and Pumbaa gasped at that. Eventhough none of them admitted it, they ended up feeling some affection towards the leopardess, who was somehow mother to the three of them. Some tears came out of Timon's eyes, and he wiped them off with his hand. Pumbaa also sobbed.

"I'm… I'm very sorry…" whimpered Pumbaa.

"She's gone…" said Simba, in the same whimpering voice of Pumbaa. "Gone forever…"

"No…" said Pumbaa. "She is alive. In you… and in all of us."

Timon and Simba looked at the warthog wih amazement. Pumbaa was rarely given to such a kind of philosophy, but the moment was too touching for anyone not to be given to reflections.

"Simba…" said Pumbaa, still hesitantly. "Will you do your first hunt tomorrow?"

"You shouldn't." said Timon worryingly. "You are injured. It would be better if you stayed still until your wound is healed. That wound seems rather ugly."

"I will do it." said Simba, with a surprisingly forceful and decisive voice. "I will do my first hunt. It won't be a prey who will stop me."

"Are you sure, Simba?" asked Pumbaa.

"Yes." said Simba decisevely. "I'm very sure."

Timon and Pumbaa were too amazed with the decisiveness on Simba's voice, but they both know that this wasn't the best time to discuss with him. They knew that Simba wouldn't kill them intentionally, but he was too heartbroken to measure the consequences of his acts properly. So, the meerkat and the warthog just lied down on their beds, eventhough they had a very uneasy sleep on that night.

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On the next day, like expected earlier, Simba went to his first hunt, and he was determined to not to return without killing the antelope that had killed Mkalimu. Timon and Pumbaa had insisted that they wanted to go with him, but Simba refused firmly, and his adopted parents had no other solution than to accept that Simba would go alone.

Simba went to the place where Mkalimu had died. It was rather painful for him, but because this was the last place where he had seen the antelope, he needed to go there to find any kind of track.

He tried his best to remember the direction where the sable-antelope had gone when he chased away Timon and Pumbaa, but he couldn't. His sight was too dimmed on that time, and he was lied down. However, the grass had been squashed on that time by the antelope's sharp hoofs, and Simba could follow the trace easily. He focused his look on every mark made by the antelope, like the well-trained predator that he was. His paws and jaws seemed to ache, like if they couldn't wait to attack the antelope. Normally, lions don't focuse on following a track for too long time, but this occasion seemed to be different.

After a rather big time of following that track, and a lot of more signals indicating the presence of his prey, Simba eventually found him. It was the same sable-antelope, this time grazing alone, because after all he had separated from the herd. Simba was recognizing him: he still had his backside and hoofs spotted with blood. With Mkalimu's blood. With Simba's blood.

Simba's wound seemed to ache at the sight of the antelope, but somehow, the pain gave him an even bigger will of killing the giant-sable-antelope. He crouched, sure that the antelope hadn't seen him yet, and stalking him with the infinite patience that Mkalimu had thought him. Mkalimu… Simba's chest seemed to ache with the thought about Mkalimu.

He remembered how they had known each other. When Mkalimu had saved him from Joka, the huge snake. When Mkalimu had taught him how to hunt, and of all the dangers that she had protected him from, like the female rhinoceros. Every memory about his leopardess friend was at the same time unbearable and encouraging, giving him even more will and strength for killing the antelope.

Simba stalked the antelope until he came close enough. Then, he just waited for the proper moment to attack, but, on that moment, some wind began blowing. But Simba wasn't anymore willing to wait. The young lion jumped out of his cover, running towards the antelope with a roar.

The sable antelope looked at Simba, recognizing him. He ran away with a terrified scream, but the lion chased him at full speed, with wide open mouth. The antelope was strong and fast, however Simba wouldn't let him to go away.

After some time of running, Simba was almost catching the antelope, like he almost had done on the previous day. It was rather unusual for a lion to chase his prey for such a long distance and so determinately like Simba had done, but the will of avenging his adopted mother was giving him strength and endurance. However, the sable-antelope, noticing that Simba was almost catching him, was also about to try the same trick that had worked on the previous day. Simba looked at the legs of his prey, seemingly ready to inflict another kick on his head. However, the young lion learned from his mistake and crouched, avoiding the blow. On that moment, for some unknown reason, one memory came to his head. He, walking on the savannah with his father, while a herd of antelopes passed close to them. He had asked: "But dad, don't we eat the antelope?"

"Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eats the grass. And so, we're all connected in the Great Circle of Life."

"How ironical." thought Simba bitterly. "It seems that when I die, your kind will avenge you. But now… I will avenge Mkalimu!"

And he jumped on the antelope, pinning him to the ground. The sable-antelope tried to get up, but the young lion placed all of his weight on the antelope's head and chest, which made the job of getting up a lot harder than the antelope expected. Simba didn't need more. He opened his huge jaws and closed them on the antelope's neck, biting as hard as he could, cutting off the antelope's neck arteries and crushing the antelope's trachea at once. The choking prey was released by Simba, who panted heavily. It was finally done. Mkalimu was avenged. She could finally rest in peace.

But then, for some unknown reason, Simba couldn't help but to feel a little bit uncertain. Maybe this was not the attitude that Mkalimu would have expected from him.

"Probably she would never have expected for me to act in such a vengeful way." thought Simba, feeling a sudden remorse for what he had done. "What would she think? What would my father think?"

When he thought about his father, some tears came to Simba's eyes. He wiped them off with his paw, beginning to eat the sable-antelope. Even out of the vengeful context, the antelope was his first real kill. He had finally proved to be able to hunt only counting on himself.

"Maybe she didn't expect me to act like that." thought Simba, while chewing one piece of meat. "But I think that if I didn't kill that antelope, I wouldn't feel reconciled with the Circle of Life. Now I feel. And, like I said before, if there is some vengeance, his compatriots will get it when I die."

But then, surprisingly, Simba felt wind blowing on his face. It was strange. Not totally unpleasant, but surely strange. It seemed that the wind was somewhere between angry at him and proud of him, but there was another strange detail: the wind had Mkalimu's scent, a scent as fresh as if she was right at his side on that moment.

"Are you there, Mkalimu?" whispered Simba. He took a gentle breeze blowing on him as a "yes", but suddenly the wind became slightly faster.

"I know you probably wouldn't expect me to act like that, and that you're probably angry at me." whispered the lion again, still unsure that he was being heard. "But… I wouldn't feel in peace with myself if I didn't hunt this antelope."

The wind blew more gently again, like if it was Mkalimu saying: "I understand."

This time, Simba, deffinetly in peace with himself and Mkalimu, returned to eating the antelope.

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Rather far from there, Timon and Pumbaa were also in the savannah, eating their usual meal of bugs. However, they were rather worried with Simba.

"Hey, Pumbaa…" said Timon, in the middle of the sound of the bugs chewing. "Do you think Simba's OK?"

"Most likely." said Pumbaa. "He's a big and strong lion, he will most likely be OK. That's what I have to say."

On that moment, a sound was heard. It was difficult to identify, and Pumbaa didn't hear it in the middle of his bug chewing, but Timon heard it.

"Sssshhh!" said the meerkat in an attemp to silence Pumbaa and figure out more about the strange sound that he had heard.

"Why?" asked Pumbaa, slightly offended. "I said nothing wrong or offensive!"

"Sssshhh!" said Timon, this time with a more urgent voice.

"Hey, I already told you I said nothing wrong!" said Pumbaa, this time louder and with a more offended voice."

"Pumbaa, shut up!" shouted Timon, jumping on Pumbaa's snout. "Someone is stalking us!"

As if to confirm that, a lion jumped out of the high grass, running towards them. Timon and Pumbaa shouted in fear. They didn't take a good look at the lion, but from what they had enough time to see, the lion, who was relatively young (around Simba's age, maybe slightly younger) had grey fur and brown mane. He was a bit smaller than Simba, but even so he was a serious enough threat to Timon and Pumbaa.

Obviously, none of them stayed behind for enough time to look carefully at the lion's features. On the moment when they saw him, they ran away – or maybe better to say, Pumbaa ran away, because Timon was still on his friend's snout, eventhough the warthog's sudden run almost threw him to the ground.

Timon had a feeling that their best hope was to call for any kind of help. Pumbaa had to use all of his breath to run, so Timon just focused on shouting with all his might: "HELP! SIMBA, HELP US!"

For Simba, those shouts were whispers almost undistinguishable. If he was just a tiny bit further, he wouldn't even hear them. However, he heard them and understood perfectly the meaning of the shouts.

"They are in danger! I must help them!" thought Simba, running on the direction of the shouts.

Meanwhile, Pumbaa was trying all the kinds of manouvers to avoid the lion's charges, who seemingly surprised with the idea of the meerkat asking for help, was trying to run as fast as he could, trying to kill the two animals before the help – whatever it was – arrived.

Eventually, Timon and Pumbaa were out of sources to avoid the lion's charges, and the lion pounced on Pumbaa, pinning him on his back, and almost squashing Timon, if not for the meerkat coming from under the warthog's back on the last moment.

"You're mine." whispered the rogue lion with panting voice, before delivering the final blow to Pumbaa.

However, the seconds of delay costed the lion his prey. Suddenly, Simba appeared out of nowhere, landing on him with a surprising precision, pushing the brownmaned lion of his friend. The last moments that the rogue could remember were the meerkat and the warthog shouting in unison, with relieved voice: "Simba!" and then the lion delivering a blow on his nape. After that, the rogue drifted away.

Simba opened his jaw, ready to bite the rogue's throat and solve the problem definetevely, but he stopped.

"No." he thought decisevely. "I'm not a murderer. And this rogue also isn't. He was just hunting to eat. I can't kill him, but I also couldn't allow him to kill my friends."

Simba turned to Timon and Pumbaa, and said: "Come on, guys. Let's have a drink, and get away of this lion."

Timon and Pumbaa gladly followed Simba.

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It happened that the three friends left the place on the last moment. Less than an hour later, four rogues appeared on that place, following the track of the younger member. They were led by a big male with grey fur and yellow mane, and among the pack there was another lion – seemingly as old as the leader – with brown fur and dark-brown mane, and two younger ones, one of them with sandy mane and dark-sandy fur, and the other one with dark-red mane and dark-golden fur.

The leader, an experienced male, noticed the track of the younger member of his pack, but, when he saw him knocked out, he acted as if he was very worried. And in fact, he was.

"Masafa!" said the leader, running to the knocked out lion, and hugging him slightly. "Are you alright?"

The knocked-out lion just moaned, but the leader made a relief-sigh – that meant the lion was alive.

"Thank goodness." whispered the yellow-maned lion with a relief sigh.

But then he noticed that the other three lions were just standing there, without doing anything.

"DON'T JUST SIT THERE, FOOLS!" roared the leader. "GET WATER TO WAKE HIM UP!"

"Yes boss!" gasped the lion with dark-brown mane, but, before any of the other three lions could do anything, Masafa opened his eyes weakly.

"Masafa!" said the leader worriedly, trying to help him up. "Are you alright?"

"My head…" whispered Masafa, getting up with a half-dimmed look.

"Are you alright?" asked the yellow-maned lion. "What happened?"

"It's very uncertain." said Masafa, shaking his head in a vain attempt to prevail confusion. "I just recall chasing a warthog who carried the meerkat on his back."

"What?" asked the leader, amazed.

"Yes, Keme…" said Masafa. "The warthog carried a meerkat on his back. But that's not the point. I remember that the meerkat called: "Simba! Help us!" I tried to catch him before the help – whatever it was – came, but, when I was almost killing the warthog, one lion pushed me off him, and before he knocked me out, I heard both the meerkat and the warthog shouting: "Simba!""

"But… why would that lion help prey?" asked the lion with sandy mane.

"Looks like this is going to get in the way of our plans to stay with this land." said the lion with dark-red mane.

"Shut up, Shabaki!" said Keme, with commanding voice. "We'll do like that: Mshauri, find that Simba and bring him here before he gets his pack or pride. Eruvu and Shabaki – stay here and help Masafa to get to the shade of that bush."

"I can walk by myself, Keme…" said Masafa, while the lion with dark-brown mane began following Simba's track, and the other two lions – who were around Masafa's age – supported him on sides.

"I know that." said Keme, almost like if he didn't hear Masafa's reply. "But it's better to have some help if you're still half-dizzy. That Simba better have some good excuse… because if he doesn't… he will regret it."

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_What did you think? I tried to make Mkalimu's death touching... but I don't know if I managed to. I know that most of fanfics don't speak about Simba's first hunt... but I think that all lions, just like lionesses, need to learn how to hunt. It is like that in real life (I mean, most lions are rogues, and have to hunt for themselves), so at least this particular point also can be like that in the movies, eventhough we don't see it mentioned. Whatever, review, please! I still need opinions!_


	45. Chapter 44: Another pack

_Well, here it is another chapter. It keeps where the last one ended. Horen (male), Daki (male), and Laki (male) are TakaPL's characters, and I have his permission to use them. I hope you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin. _

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**Chapter 44 – Another pack**

The jungle where Simba lived was surrounded by a small area of savannah, where some preys lived, eventhough the most populated area was the jungle itself. However, the savannah part offered some preys for predators. And there also existed predators.

"Well, well…" said the leading lion, a male with dark-grey fur, red mane and reddish-brown eyes. "What do we have here, gentlemen? It looks like a fine place to stay. It looks like that this place wasn't affected by the Great Drought."

It was rather obvious. Grass was yellow and dry, but not so dry, and the jungle was green. Normally lions don't live in the jungle, but if they didn't find any better place to stay, this would surely fit.

The leader turned to the other three lions, and asked: "So, what do you think of it as a home?"

"Sounds great, boss!" replied two full-grown lions with simmilar appearances. Both had sandy fur, brown mane, and brown eyes. The only difference was that one had a dark spot on his muzzle.

"And what do you think, Amini?" asked the leader to the younger lion, a lion with half-grown black-mane, darker colour of fur, and jade-green eyes.

"Looks nice, Horen" said Amini. "But I see no herds to hunt, and the only water that I can see is a lake in the middle of those palm-trees."

Horen, the leader, burst in laughter and said: "Daki, Laki, listen to him. He is the youngest, but he knows to think about the important stuff, not only about the decoring."

"If he's so wise…" said Daki.

"… why doesn't he find anything tasty?" added Laki, and the two brothers burst in laughter.

Even Amini chuckled. Horen just said: "We will think about the food later. Because at least there's water for now. Water is more important than food."

"And, if I'm not mistaken, I can see a warthog drinking on that lake…" said Amini.

The other three smiled from satisfaction. A warthog would be enough for them all. However, their smiles disappeared when the young lion added: "But wait… there's something more. A lion is drinking at the warthog's side, but they seem not to care about each other."

The three older lions, curious about what Amini had just said, looked at the lake. The lake was rather far, but, at least from what they could see, what the younger lion of the pack said was true. A warthog was drinking on the lake and a little bit further was a lion with brownish-gold fur and crimson mane. The lion seemed around Amini's age, maybe slightly younger, and he was completely ignoring the warthog as a potential prey.

"I wonder if there's so much food around here that this lion gives himself to the luxury of ignoring such a tasty warthog like that one looks." said Amini.

"What if he is with any pride?" asked Laki.

"Looks like this land isn't vacant." added Daki.

"We'll just see." said Horen. "I'm sure we can act peacefully with that lion, and share this land with him. Maybe we could even invite him to our pack, if he hasn't any pride or pack. If you three agree, that is. But for now, we will just watch better."

The three younger lions nodded. They wouldn't care too much of having a new member in the pack, but first it was necessary to know if he hadn't any pack or pride. It was also necessary to see if he wouldn't be too aggressive. And mainly, it was necessary to see why he ignored so much a potential prey. Or better to say, two potential preys! Because, when the quartet came closer, all of them noticed that there was a meerkat on the warthog's back. But they couldn't come up with questions. It wasn't the proper moment. The four lions just hid carefully in the high grass, sneaking towards the lake, watching the young lion's movements.

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Completely unaware that four rogue lions were watching them, Simba and Pumbaa just drank the water, while Timon relaxed on his friend's back. The lion and the warthog eventually stopped drinking, and lifted their heads from the water.

"That was nice." said Simba, wiping off some water of his muzzle with the back of his paw.

"You bet." said Pumbaa happily. And then, he added, slightly more seriously: "So, what will we do now?"

"Well, you and Timon might continue your interrupted feast on that trunk." said Simba, pointing with his head to a fallen trunk. "I will just take a nap around here. My hunting was very tiring."

Timon and his friend accepted the young lion's suggestion, walking to the fallen trunk. Simba just lied down under the tree with denser leaves, ready to sleep.

However, just after closing his eyes, he felt as a heavy lion pounced on him, immobilizing him with full mass. Simba shouted from surprise.

Pumbaa, who was keeping the trunk lifted, dropped it with the scare, squashing several bugs. Timon, still on the warthog's back, asked: "What was your idea, by lifting the trunk and…"

But Timon stopped speaking, because he saw what Pumbaa had seen that made him drop the trunk. A large lion with brown fur and dark-brown mane had just immobilized Simba with his full mass. Timon and Pumbaa were trying to react, but, before they did it, the rogue said, placing one paw on Simba's neck: "Still! You move, he dies."

Timon and Pumbaa took the threat seriously, especially accompanied by the gesture and the look that Simba gave them. However, Simba roared, trying to sound brave: "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Mshauri." said the lion calmly. "And you must be Simba."

"How do you know?" asked Simba, amazed.

"I don't like this guy." whispered Timon to Pumbaa's ear. "He means trouble!"

Without hearing the meerkat's comment, Mshauri just replied: "At least that's what Masafa told me."

"And who's Masafa?" asked Simba with a slightly bored voice.

"The lion that you knocked out." said Mshauri. "The one who tried to eat the p…"

"No!" shouted Simba.

Too surprised to reply, Mshauri didn't hush the other lion. Simba used that time to whisper: "Don't call him pig… it will offend him."

"But he is a pig!" whispered Mshauri back, amazed.

But then he added with normal voice: "Anyway, I'm not here to speak about the… suine. The leader of our pack, Keme, is very angry that you've hit Masafa."

"Then he probably has little lions on his pack, if the loss of a single makes him so worried." interrupted Timon.

Mshauri looked at the meerkat angrily, but just replied, in the most normal voice that he could have: "Masafa is indeed Keme's favourite. Like his… son. See what I mean?"

Simba couldn't reply to that particular question honestly, so he just asked, but with more worried voice: "What's the problem, anyway? Masafa is alive, isn't he?"

"Lucky for you." said Mshauri. "I don't know what Keme would do to you if you had killed him."

Simba seemed undisturbable, and Mshauri kept: "However, Masafa and Keme are not the main business. The main business is that we want this land for us. So, you better tell the males of your pride to move on peacefully, if they don't want to be attacked. Unless you live with a pack. In that case, you and your pack will have to move peacefully, if they don't want Keme attacking them."

"I don't have a pack." said Simba angrily. "Nor a pride. My only family now are Timon and Pumbaa. They!"

Simba tried to point with his head to the meerkat and the warthog. He failed, because Mshauri was still holding him, but the rogue understood the intention, getting so amazed that he almost allowed Simba to get free. His curiosity was so much that he almost began bombarding Simba with questions about his past, but Mshauri managed to remind himself of his mission.

"What it cares is this: you may come with me peacefully, and I will negotiate with Keme so you and your prey may leave, or you stay and Keme will most likely kill you. Or Masafa will kill you. If you had seen the look on his face when he spoke about you…"

"Can you give me some moments with Timon and Pumbaa to discuss?" asked Simba worriedly.

"Go ahead." said Mshauri. "It makes me a little bit sad to waste so delicious preys, but this place seems to have more and better preys than they."

Timon and Pumbaa gulped at the words of the lion with dark-brown mane, but they tried to hide it. Simba walked to them, and asked: "Guys… I know that this place is a paradise… but… if we want to stay alive, we must go away. It's for the best."

"That dammed monkey!" said Timon suddenly. "He said that "Hakuna Matata" was a place with no worries! He lied!"

Simba didn't undeerstand what Timon meant. Pumbaa probably did, because he said: "Timon, Hakuna Matata means just the jungle. Only on the jungle there are no worries."

"Do you really think that these lions will let us get the jungle?" asked Timon, rather angry.

Pumbaa shook his head, saying no, and Simba said: "Guys… I know that you are angry with the idea of leaving this paradise… I am, seriously. It's not only that.. this land is Mkalimu's land… but maybe it would be better to leave, here everything reminds me of her… anyway, I'm not being a coward. I'm just worrying about you two, guys. I know I should protect you… but I don't stand a chance against at least three lions! Our only chance to survive is to leave…unless you want the rogues to have roasted pig and meerkat in the stick for dinner tonight."

The two friends gulped, and Simba, realizing that he had convinced them, said: "So, let's tell Mshauri that we will speak with that Keme."

The young lion went to the older lion, saying: "Alright. We accept your offer. Lead the three of us to your leader."

"I think that I convince him to spare your two friends… for a price." said Mshauri. "The price is you to show us the best hunting territories on this place."

So, Simba and Mshauri left the area, followed by Pumbaa, who carried Timon. Meanwhile, hiding on the high grass, the other four lions were talking.

"That one could be called "dead lion walking"." said Horen with a voice full of sadness. "If he's going to Keme, I don't think that he will last for long."

"Why, Horen?" asked Amini, curious. "Who's Keme?"

"Keme is a terrible lion…" began Daki.

"…more terrible than most of those that you knew." completed Laki.

But this time, both of them were speaking with a voice full of sadness, instead of their usual voice.

"I have barely known any other lion besides you three." noticed Amini.

It was a true statement. Amini had been found by Horen, Daki and Laki when he was a cub, barely a month old, and was taken in by the three males, who raised him. They did it in a good way, because they had, as far, allowed Amini to grow well, in spite of the hard life. Amini barely remembered his life before being taken in by the three males who called themselves "Windy Rogues". There were little things that he recalled before that. The two principal were his name and his mother dying devoured by a pack of hyenas.

Deciding to return to the previous business, Amini asked: "But…how do you that lion, Mshauri? And how do you know Keme?"

"For the first three years after being kicked out of my pride, I lived alone, or in several gerges – or very violent rogue packs, if you prefer." said Horen. "For some time, I was in Keme's gerge. Groups like a gerge are the most aggressive and violent ones. And also the biggest. Daki and Laki also spent some time there, but not more than few weeks."

"That's right." said Daki. "Boss here proposed us to go away…"

"…and we accepted" added Laki.

"And it's much better living under boss's command that under that Keme. The guy was crazy!" said the twins together, but so synchronized that it could have been only one speaking.

"But…" said Amini worriedly. "Shouldn't we do something to help Simba? I mean, he's alone against… how big was Keme's gerge from the last time?"

"He never allows his pack to have less than five lions, couting on himself." said Horen."

"So, if Simba's alone against at least five lions, shouldn't we do something to help him?" repeated Amini.

Daki and Laki weren't speaking, but their expressions indicated that they were rather agreeing with Amini. Horen didn't reply on the moment. He just thought heavily, trying to figure out the best way to solve the problem. Simba meant nothing to him, he had never seen him before, and the redmaned lion wasn't avid to interfere on other's business, especially if that meant to mess up with Keme, probably the most aggressive and merciless lion that he had ever known. Messing up with Keme would probably mean death for him, the twins, and Amini. Horen wasn't interested in dying, or even in allowing Daki, Laki, and especially Amini, to die. However, the redmaned lion just couldn't help but to feel a little bit sad and remorseful at the thought of seeing the young lion walking straight to his death and not to do a single thing to help him.

So, he turned to his three friends and said: "For now, we will just follow them, trying to remain unnoticed. It's dangerous to attack without a strategy. And we don't still know if it is necessary to attack."

The three lions nodded, and began following their leader, who followed Simba, Mshauri, and the two friends.

"I just hope Keme is in a good mood today." thought Horen.

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Keme was waiting for Mshauri, while Masafa was still trying to recover from the blow that Simba gave him on the head. Eruvu and Shabaki just lied down in the shade of a bush, but they didn't sleep, because they were also waiting.

Keme was getting rather nervous with waiting, but his nerves disappeared when he noticed Mshauri walking straight to him, followed by a lion with crimson-mane and brownish gold fur. He also noticed a meerkat and a warthog, but they wouldn't care. Keme already had decided what to do. He would propose Simba to leave peacefully with his two friends, and if he didn't accept, they would all die.

However, his attitude changed slightly when he noticed Simba better. The colour of Simba's fur, and even some looks on the lion's face, those looks were familiar to Keme. The yellow-maned lion growled with anger, extending his claws. He remembered… about him. About the lion that caused him the greatest suffering he had met on his whole life.

"This couldn't have gone any better." thought Keme, feeling hard memories to take over his mind. "When Simba comes here, I will have to interrogate him. If my suspects are confirmed… he will die."

Simba and Mshauri were arriving close to Keme, the only lion who was standing, all the other three were lied down. Timon and Pumbaa also came closer, but not as close as Simba.

"He is Keme." said Mshauri, pointing to his leader. "I will speak with him, before he comes to speak with you."

"All right." said Simba.

He was rather angry with the idea of having to go away: after all, he had been raised to be a king, and it's rather unproper to a king to leave his land in moments of danger. But Simba knew that he wasn't on his land. If there wasn't any pride living there, the land was of everyone. And he hadn't been born there. And if it came to abandon his kingdom… he had no kingdom anymore, he was just an outcast.

Mshauri went to Keme, who asked, rather angrily: "Why did you take so much time?"

"I was negotiating with him." said Mshauri, in a slightly scared voice. Scared, because he saw that his leader seemed in bad mood. However, maybe it wouldn't be so hard to convince him. The brownfurred lion kept: "He said that he will leave this land with his two friends…" Mshauri pointed Timon and Pumbaa with his head. "… if we just let him to go. He has no pride, nor pack. Only Timon and Pumbaa… the meerkat and the warthog respectively."

"I knew that take this land would be easy, but I never thought it would be that easy." said Keme, so surprised that he almost forgot his rage and suspects towards the young lion. "Alright, Mshauri, you've done well. Let me just settle the agreement deffinetevely with Simba."

Mshauri nodded, coming out of Keme's way while the leader walked towards the young lion. Simba was feeling rather scared with the idea of facing the lion, and rather remorseful with the idea of abandoning his land without fighting at all. He was living there, this was Mkalimu's land, he should at least have some respect for her. The rogues could do something to… no, the rogues were lions, they wouldn't destroy the land, because they needed her… but the rogues… well, Simba couldn't think about that too much. He was being a coward again… he couldn't stand it. But now there was no turning back.

"Well, Simba." said Keme to the young lion. "My name is Keme, like Mshauri probably told you. The main business is this: you've hit Masafa, and I'm angry on you. However, I can forget that for a price: you give us your land and leave peacefully with your two friends. And answer to some questions."

"What are the questions?" asked Simba.

"I'm the one to ask." said Keme.

Timon and Pumbaa, watching this slightly further, just couldn't help but to feel nervous at the sight of the large lion. However, hiding in the grass, Horen almost made a relief sigh, and would make it actually if it didn't mean the possibility of the gerge being alerted.

"It seems Keme is in a good mood today." thought the redmaned lion.

Meanwhile, Keme began the questions.

"Where are you from?" asked the yellowmaned lion.

"From the Pride Lands." replied Simba.

"And… who is your father?" asked the gerge-leader.

Simba was rather surprised with Keme's questions, but answered, with rather confused voice: "His name was Mufasa. Why?"

But Keme didn't hear Simba's question, because he was very busy with his own thoughts. And the anger was growing inside him, as some hard memories returned.

"If he's son of Mufasa, he is also grandson of that dammed tyrant Ahadi!" thought Keme, extending his claws. "Oh… I wanted so much to tear apart that tyrant eversince the day he's done that to me… well, his grandson will have to fit instead. I just wonder what he's doing so far in here… that doesn't matter anyway."

So, Keme began speaking to Simba again, with seemingly airy voice, but where some hatred and madness could be noticed: "I changed my mind, boy. I won't let you to go away of this land. I will kill you instead."

Simba, Pumbaa, Timon and Mshauri gasped hearing that. Hidden in the grass, Amini almost gasped as well, but he managed to repress himself on time. Eruvu and Shabaki, who were already up, seemed very disturbed. After all, they were still cubs inside. Living with the gerge had changed their personalities, but not that much. They weren't seeing any reason to kill Simba, specially when he had showed no hostile intentions, had accepted to give the land to them, and whose only act was to protect his friends. Masafa, on the other paw, jumped to Keme (with some difficulty, due to his headache) and said: "Let me kill him instead!"

Keme turned to Masafa, and said, with calm voice: "No, boy. I will kill him. And before you ask "why?" the answer is "Because I want to"."

Masafa seemed rather disappointed, but he obeyed Keme and returned to his place. Simba was feeling rather scared with that. Keme was a huge lion, Simba would stand little chances against him, and he hadn't done anything to the pack. He had hit Masafa… but only to protect his friends, and Masafa was still alive!

Keme looked at Simba with some kind of hatred and madness mixed on his look, and asked, with voice so cold that Timon and Pumbaa felt their hearts freezing: "Any last will?"

Simba decided to assume a brave posture. He had to seem as brave as possible, in order to leave Keme scared and shocked, or at least confused. Tthere he would have some more hopes to defeat the huge lion. On that moment, Keme jumped.

The younger lion easily dodged him, and inflicted the first blow on the leader's side, making four deep paralel red cuts. Keme almost roared in pain, but he repressed himself. If he showed his weakness, his pack would depose him. And surely it was a weakness to be beaten by a younger and supposely less experienced lion.

However, Simba's first hit was painful enough to make the leader to stop for some seconds to prevail the ache on his wounds. Simba used that time to jump on Keme's back, plunging his claws as much as he could in the lion's flesh.

"Mkalimu's training was surely profitable." thought Simba, while opening his jaws to crush Keme's neck.

But, even being surprisingly skilled in fight for a lion of his age, Simba was still young, and so he was smaller than Keme. As full-grown, he would probably be bigger, but it had to pass at least two or three years more for Simba to become full-grown. His jaws were still too small to crush a giant lion's neck efficiently, and besides, Keme had a thick mane, which made the task of aiming harder. And there was another thing. Just before closing his jaws for the final blow, he hesitated. In spite of the fact that Simba was determined to drive-off Keme, he couldn't kill him. It was beyond his morality.

While Simba hesitated, Keme threw him off his back, and Simba fell in front of him. Throwing Simba off him caused four fountains of blood on Keme's body, but his arteries were untouched.

The redmaned lion turned to the older, and Keme used that moment to hit Simba on the face. Because Simba dodged the hit, his muzzle didn't get severe cuts, but hit was extremely painful anyway, and made Simba to get dizzy. The yellowmaned lion used the moment of Simba's dizziness to inflict a blow on Simba's leg. He failed in breaking the younger lion's tendon, but the wound was extremely painful, or at least that's what Simba announced with an ear-piercing roar of pain.

Keme showed again the power of his muscles by slashing Simba's shoulder, and another painful roar sounded.

Then, Keme strucked Simba with all his mass, making the younger lion to roll over five metres forward. Simba's head hit a boulder. Fortunately, bone wasn't broken, but his older wound made by the sable-antelope's hoofs began bleeding again. Simba would have shouted in pain, but voice seemed to be missing.

Timon and Pumbaa were looking on the scene like paralysed. Mshauri was feeling a little bit remorseful, but Masafa seemed impatient for seeing Keme delivering the final blow to Simba.

By his dimmed sight, Simba noticed Keme walking to him, already with extended claws to inflict the final blow on him.

"I'm… I'm done…" thought Simba. "I tried… but I failed… I'm a failure… I… will die…"

He was too dizzy and weak to get up, but, suddenly, he reminded one thing. His father had told him that he would always be upthere to help him… whenever he needed... he had to ask him.

"Dad…" tried to whisper Simba. "Dad… I'm… in danger… help me… please… I need your help…"

But, unfortunately, nothing came to him.

"Dad… why are you leaving me?" thought Simba, on the edge of bursting in tears. "Are you so angry at me that I don't deserve your help… what have I done? Dad… I'm sorry…, please help me…"

But, once again, no answer came, and, on that moment, just after asking for help again, Simba temporarially drifted away from pain.

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_Well, what did you think? Probably some of you have your heads filled with questions. I hope they will be answered in the next chapter. Now, please, review! I still need opinions!_


	46. Chapter 45: Lionish problems

_Hello again. Looks like my last chapter left some of you readers very disturbed and full of questions... but don't worry, those questions will be answered here on this chapter, I hope. I think it will all become clear by the end of this chapter. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 45 – Lionish problems**

Keme walked to Simba feeling his blood boiling in his veins. He never thought that he would have so much anger inside him, after all these years. Then, the yellowmaned lion remembered a time, when he was still around Simba's age. He remembered what Simba's grandfather had done to him.

"Now I will avenge them." thought Keme, extending his claws. "That dammed tyrant Ahadi… I would give anything to kill him instead and make him pay for having killed my mate and son… but Ahadi's grandson also fits."

With those thoughts, Keme walked to Simba, with the wounds that the young lion had done to him aching even more, but at the same time giving him some more rage.

Mshauri was feeling a little bit disgusted with his leader's actions. Second in command of the gerge wasn't too noble or kindhearted, but if he managed to reach his goals without killing anyone, it would be better. And Simba was an innocent lion, he had attacked Masafa only to protect his friends.

Eruvu and Shabaki had covered their eyes with their paws, unable to see Simba's final moment, but Masafa was staring straight at his leader, like if he was waiting anxiously for Simba's murder.

Hiding in the grass, the other four lions were rather unsure of what to do. Horen wanted to jump in, but his body was disobedient, like if he was only half-aware of the fate that awaited the young lion. Daki, Laki and Amini also wanted to jump in, but they seemed to await for their leader's order to do it.

"Oh… what will I do?" thought Horen worriedly. "I can't stand to let a lion to die without doing anything to help him, but I can't risk my life or the lifes of my packmates!"

But it seemed that one of the lions of his pack wanted to act, in spite of the dangers that it implied.

"Horen, please, we must do something." said Amini, looking on the older lion with a begging look. "If we don't do anything, he will die!"

Horen looked on the younger male of his pack, and somehow, looking on Amini's begging eyes made him to act.

"Why do I always end up pulled into messes like this one?" thought Horen, shaking his head, not too hard for not to reveal his hideout. "It makes me pity that Simba dies, but I don't want to die myself. Oh… but it seems that Amini always manages to induce my pride and bravery."

He didn't say it aloud, but he said to his lions: "Be ready. We will attack when the proper moment comes…"

The proper moment seemed to be delayed, however, because, when Keme was about to bend down and bite Simba's throat with a deadly blow, he heard two voices shouting in unison: "_Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah!"_

Keme turned his head left, and jumped back, barely in time to avoid Pumbaa's charge.

If the warthog had managed to hit him straight, Keme would probably get severely injured, after all warthogs have sharp tusks, normally used to lift trunks, could also be used to injure predators severely. But Keme had avoided the charge, and now he prepared to kill the warthog and the meerkat before killing Ahadi's descendant.

However, much to his surprise, Pumbaa turned his butt to him, and Timon bended Pumbaa's tail, cocking in, and holding it like a gun. He called decisevely: "Don't anybody move! This thing's loaded! I'll let you have it!"

For some moments, all the lions there got completely paralysed. Then, after ten surprisingly long seconds, the whole gerge burst in laughter, except Masafa, because his headache got worst when he made any loud sound.

However, the lions hidden on the grass weren't making any sound. In fact no one of them had the slightest will of laughing, because the situation was getting desperate for Simba, and yet they had no idea of how to help him.

But then, surprisingly, Pumbaa said: "Then so be it!"

"Fire!" said Timon. "Or, maybe better to say, gas!"

And it happened. None of the lions there could explain how… but it was like an extreme explosion of stinking gas. All the lions would have given anything to run away from that dreadful smell, but fear of what Keme would do to them if they showed so much cowardice repressed them. Keme would also have ran away, but he knew that if his pack sensed some weakness in him, they would depose him, however it was too hard to stand.

For the hidden lions, it was easier, probably because they were further, but they had to cover their noses with their paws. Horen chuckled, and said: "After all, it seems that they didn't need our help."

However, it seemed that it wasn't finished. Because Keme, eventhough he had been affected, seemed determined to kill the warthog before he released another fart.

"Oops!" said Pumbaa, with a slightly scared look

"Run, Pumbaa, move!" said Timon.

Now, they only had one hope: retreat and plan some kind of counterattack, hoping that Keme would actually chase them. That plan worked, because Keme ran after them, jumping on Pumbaa.

The warthog rolled aside, barely dodging Keme's attack, but after getting up, he stood, facing Keme. The lion was forced to stop. He could defeat the warthog, but a frontal charge was too dangerous, the risk of being seriously injured – or even killed – by the warthog's sharp tusks was too big. And he couldn't turn his attention away from the suine, for not to allow him to attack.

But, while Keme was busy facing Timon and Pumbaa, another member of the gerge advanced to Simba. Masafa walked to the unconscious lion (hobbling a little due to his headache) ready to solve Keme's problem: to kill Simba. Sure, the leader said that he wanted to do it himself, but probably Keme wouldn't be too bored with a little favour. Masafa decided to trust in Keme's kindness. After all, Keme had been kind enough to adopt him and keep him in the pack, when he was a newborn cub. It was no secret to the gerge that Masafa was Keme's favourite and would even become his successor, eventually. So, what difference would make being him the one to kill Simba?

The other members of the gerge weren't too enthusiasmed with the idea of killing Simba. Eruvu and Shabaki had covered their eyes with their paws again, unable to stand what was about to come. Mshauri had his head slightly turned aside, with a somewhat sorrowful expression. This wasn't what he expected, to kill an innocent lion who barely tried to resist. And Simba was so young…

But, just when Masafa was arriving to Simba, he noticed another shape it was another lion. But the other lion wasn't running to Simba – was running to him!

Masafa tried to step aside, but the lion pounced with masterful efficience on him. From what the young rogue had seen, the lion was rather old – around Keme's age – and had dark-grey fur and red mane. Masafa felt the strange lion placing one paw on his neck.

"Still!" whispered the older lion to Masafa's ear. "You move, you die!"

The other rogues shouted from amazement, and Mshauri tried to run to save his friend. But, before he did, three lions more came out of the high grass.

"Who the hell…" growled Keme, turning to the voice, but then, recognizing the other lion, he asked, amazed: "Horen?"

"That's right." said Horen, looking at Keme, but still holding Masafa firmly. "It seems you haven't changed since our last meeting."

The yellowmaned lion growled, even more enraged. But then, he shouted from pain. And soon the reason became obvious. In one of their (rather rare) moments of quick thinking, Timon and Pumbaa decided to use Keme's moment of distraction. Pumbaa charged at the lion, while Timon bit the rogue's ear. The warthog's tusks rammed right into Keme's neck, and Pumbaa began moving aside. But, just a few moments before he managed to cut off one of Keme's neck arteries, he had to stop, because he miscalculated the thickness of the lion's mane. Keme used that moment to grab the warthog with his paws and throw him away, and then shaking his head to throw Timon off his ear. Keme's mane began becoming orangish in the areas where Pumbaa had hit, because of red blood mixed with yellow fur, but his arteries were intact. The new wounds were painful and partially disabling, but not life endagering. Pumbaa got up with his tusks red from Keme's blood, while Timon ran to him, with some blood on his muzzle and grey hairs stuck in his teeth. They had failed. Pumbaa only had one try to solve the problem, it was unlikely that the gerge-leader would allow himself to get distracted a second time. So, they just joined the three new lions, who had formed a barrier around Simba.

Meanwhile, Keme decided to think about a way for victory, availing his chances. It all had gone wrong. He had entered that fight believing that it would be easy to defeat Simba, but then it came that the warthog and the meerkat were more vicious than he thought ("It's a miracle that my ear and neck are still in one piece!" thought Keme) and, to make it even worse, Simba seemed to have four lion allies. What was even worst: fully functional allies. Keme had recognized Horen, Daki and Laki. About three years and a half before, they had been a part of his pack. But he wasn't recognizing the youngest lion with black mane, darker fur, and jade-green eyes. But he only made winning the fight harder. In an attempt to gain some time to avail his chances, he asked: "So, Horen, won't you introduce me your younger boy?"

"His name is Amini." said Horen, still holding Masafa firmly.

"Nice to meet you." said Keme to Amini sarcastically.

"I would like to say the same." said Amini with honest voice, seemingly without any fear. "But to do it, I would have to lie."

Keme growled at Amini's answer, but then, he finally noticed one thing. Or, maybe better to say, he had seen it before, but only now he was paying attention. Then, his expression changed. It became angry and enraged as never before. The yellowmaned lion crouched, preparing to pounce on Horen, but, at the moment when he began moving, Horen said, pressing his paw on Masafa's neck more firmly: "You move, he dies."

But Horen had noticed the look on Keme's face. It was enraged and mad. And maybe also somewhat fearful, as he never recalled before. Horen didn't change his posture, but he thought: "I wonder if this wouldn't be a good time to retreat. Keme is getting mad, I'm not sure if it is a good idea to keep here challenging him. But if I manage to drive him away, I will get a temporary place to live. In this drought, I'm not sure that we have more places to choose."

Keme said, still on an unusual voice: "Drop him right now, Horen, or I will kill you in such a painful way that you couldn't even imagine... you will be begging for a fast death…"

There was so much dreadfulness in Keme's voice that the twins, Amini, Timon and Pumbaa shivered, doing nothing to hide it. Horen also shivered inside, considering that this would possibly be a good time to retreat, but he only said with certain and brave voice: "I don't think you're in the best position to make threats, Keme. Remember, I have your friend, and we are seven (counting the warthog and the meerkat) standing against five."

Keme understood one more disturbing thing. Just on that moment, Simba got up. Rather uncertainly, but he was getting up. The young lion looked around, and asked: "Wh-what happened here?"

But, seeing Timon and Pumbaa standing at the side of the four new lions, he understood. Timon and Pumbaa had saved him, alongside those four new lions, and now they were all standing to protect him from the rogues. But Simba couldn't just lie helplessly there. He was no longer a cub. So, the young lion stood as firmly as he could, in spite of the wound on his paw, trying to look as brave as possible.

Keme saw the standing Simba, but that didn't care anymore. He just looked straight at Horen, saying in a dreadful and at the same time slightly begging voice: "Horen. release Masafa, or I'll do so terrible things to you…"

Horen kept shivering inside, but he had to play a good role, so he said with certain voice: "Look, Keme, you better think logically. We are five, you and your pack are five as well. But we are five in good condition, while you and your pack are three in good condition and two wounded. And, if I cut off this young one's neck…"

"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!" shouted Keme, pouncing on Horen.

But the redmaned lion crouched, and Keme passed through him without hurting him, eventhough his claws missed Horen's back by milimeters. But, before Keme got up, Daki and Laki struck him with full mass at the same time, pushing him some meters aside. Mshauri, Eruvu and Shabaki, who seemed to have recovered the initiative with the appearance of a rival pack, stood at their leader's side, stopping the twins from getting to him. Keme got up, looking at Horen with some kind of hatred mixed with fear. Masafa was immobile, because Horen's second paw was pressing on his head, turning the headache unbearable. Horen just kept speaking to the yellow-maned lion: "Like I said, if I cut off this young one's neck, you'll be reduced to four, and we'll be still five. But, even if we don't kill this one, we will be equal, which means that the fight will be a slaughter. To both of us, but more for you, because we are in better condition."

"We aren't five, we're seven." said Timon and Pumbaa together.

In normal conditions, Horen would have stared at the two preys for interrupting him, but he knew that if he looked away Keme could use the chance to attack him, so, the redmaned lion just spoke: "So, if we are speaking about physical power – the only thing that seems to count for you – we surpass you. I make you an offer: surrender and leave."

Keme barely replied, while his brain analyzed Horen's speech. The main thought was: "I hate you, Horen!"

But Keme was no fool, and he decided that Horen was actually right. Fighting with his pack and Simba, joined by Timon and Pumbaa (eventhough the last ones couldn't make a big difference, could be a meaningful difference) would be a slaughter to his pack.

"Fine." said Keme, with deep hatred and madness on each sound that he made. "You win, Horen! But now, release Masafa!"

Horen lifted his paws of the young lion's body, but the brown-maned lion wasn't able to get up. His headache was too big. Then, surprisingly, Keme, with a worried look, came to Masafa and placed the young lion's body on his back.

"Thanks." was the only whispered answer of the young lion.

Thinking that it could be a good time to help, Mshauri came to his leader, and asked: "Boss, do you need help?"

"Go away!" said Keme, with an angry voice.

Mshauri gulped. He understood that his leader was very angry at him and the other two lions, for just standing there. And, what was even worst, Mshauri felt that he couldn't blame his leader. Even so, he tried again: "But, isn't Masafa too heavy…"

"AWAY!" roared Keme, even louder.

Mshauri gulped again, deciding that the best would be to follow his leader in the most possible silence, for not to enrage him. Eruvu and Shabaki also followed the two lions (or three, if we count Masafa being carried on Keme's back) and walked away. Before losing the eye-contact, Keme exchanged one last look with Horen. The redmaned lion couldn't help but to shiver inside.

"Geez!" said Timon. "If looks could kill, we would all be dead now!"

The lions and Pumbaa couldn't help but agree with the meerkat's comment.

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Horen, the twins, and Amini remained looking at the gerge untill all the lions disappeared of their visual reach. Only then, Horen dared to turn to Simba, who was again getting pale, almost like if he was about to collapse again.

"You bloody fool!" said Horen, with his voice somewhere between angry and worried. "What was your idea, messing up with a whole pack, having only a warthog and a meerkat as allies?"

Simba understood perfectly that Horen was right, and that if not for him and the other three lions jumping in, Simba and his adoptive parents would probably be dead. But on that moment there wasn't exactly time to explain everything. to the older male. So, Simba just said weakly: "Thank you for saving our lives."

After those six words, the young lion collapsed again. Horen said: "It turned out bad. It will be better to heal him before bomdarding him with more questions."

Then, surprisingly, Amini turned to Timon and Pumbaa.

"By the way, we should make the introductions." said the blackmaned lion. "My name is Amini, he is Horen, our leader, and they are brothers, Daki and Laki. We are the Windy Rogues pack."

"I was about to make the introductions myself." said Horen, but he didn't seem angry on Amini. "So, won't you introduce yourselves?"

"My name's Timon."

"I'm Pumbaa.

"And he's Simba." said the meerkat, pointing to the knocked out lion.

"Alright, nice to meet you." said Horen. "We should get some good place to put your friend while I get some special herbs to heal his wounds. Do you know any place?"

"Just follow us." said Pumbaa.

Horen made a signal to Daki and Laki, and the two younger lions placed Simba's unconscious body on their backs. Pumbaa (and Timon, still on friend's back), lead the way, with Horen walking at their side. Daki and Laki followed behind, and Amini walked at the twins's side.

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Eventhough they were rather hesitant of doing it, Timon and Pumbaa lead the four rogues to the bed made of leaves. Simba was placed on the ground, still knocked out, but surely alive. Horen told the other three lions to stay with Simba, while he, accompanied by Timon and Pumbaa, went to get some special herbs to make compresses and put them on the young lion's wounds.

The two friends weren't trusting too much that the unknown lions would guard Simba well, but Horen told that he needed to speak with them, so Pumbaa and Timon reluctantly accepted. While searching for the herbs that would heal Simba's wounds Horen began bombarding Timon and Pumbaa with questions.

"What was Simba's idea to face Keme?" asked the redmaned lion with angry voice. "He was alone…" seeing the narrowing eyes of Timon and Pumbaa, he added: "alright, with you two, but it didn't make enough of a difference."

It was the obvious truth. Both Timon and Pumbaa were brave and willing to protect their adopted son in their best possible way, but they just had no chance against five lions, or four, considering that Simba would be able to handle one. They would have some chances against a single lion, but not against a whole pack.

Because he knew that the two friends had perfect consciousness of that fact, and that it wouldn't be necessary to tell them, Horen only asked, but with more persistency in his voice: "What was his idea?"

Pumbaa said: "Initially, our idea wasn't to fight. One lion, Mshauri, said that we could simply negotiate with Keme, and he would let us leave. But then, when he saw Simba, Keme changed his mind and said that he would kill Simba instead, without any reason!"

"You can't trust that Keme acts following his reason." replied Horen. "His mind seems to have only two states: crazy and aggressive, or very crazy and very aggressive."

"I think we noticed that without your help, Horen." said Timon with somewhat ironical voice.

The lion just ignored Timon's comment, turning to another question, mainly to have some talking theme while they gathered the herbs: "But do you have any idea why Simba just challenged Keme?"

"Well…" said Timon, with suddenly worried voice. "We're not sure about it… but I would say that Simba has suicidal tendencies, like if he has caused the death of someone that he loved, and subconsciously tries to join him."

Horen didn't reply for some seconds, gathering some herbs and giving them to Timon (the meerkat was the one who could proportionally carry more herbs, because he had free hands). He had heard little of suicide tendencies, and couldn't recall any lion with that. But, after finishing both the gathering of the herbs and thinking about that question, he replied: "Well, I can't say that it hasn't any logic."

That was a fact already known by both Timon and Pumbaa.

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When Simba woke up, he felt that his brain was still a little bit lazy to recall all the events, so he just thought very slowly. He remembered almost killing Keme, hesitating, Keme using that moment to attack him, he being knocked out, waking up again, protect by four lions and his adoptive parents, and fainting again shortly after. He tried to get up, but his paw was still too injured.

"You shouldn't get up." said Amini. "You should wait for Horen to bring some herbs and make compresses for your wounds."

"Who are you?" asked Simba, noticing the three strange lions. "Who's that Horen… and where are Timon and Pumbaa?"

Suddenly, a terrible thought came to his mind, and he asked, trying to roar from rage (but failing, because of his fatigue): "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THEM?"

"Easy." said Daki, trying to sound calming.

"They went with boss to look for some plants to heal your wounds." added Laki.

"Oh… alright." said Simba weakly. "Oh… and by the way, I believe that we haven't been introduced yet. Who are you?"

"I'm Amini, and these are brothers, Daki and Laki." replied the youngest of the rogues.

"Who is who?" asked Simba to the twins, curious. "You look just like the same."

"Laki is the one with a dark-spot on his muzzle." said Amini to Simba.

On that moment, Pumbaa appeared behind a bush, holding some strange plants on his mouth. Timon, on Pumbaa's back, held simmilar plants on his arms. Soon after, Horen appeared from the bush, carrying a simmilar tuft of plants in his mouth.

"He is Horen." said Amini.

Horen nodded, and Simba said: "My name's Simba, if you still didn't knew."

The lions nodded, and shortly after Horen, with some help from Timon, made some compresses to be placed on Simba's wounds. Horen would have done it alone, but the hands of the meerkat seemed more adapted to the job of making a compress than the paws of the lion. Simba – much against his will – tried to remain still while the lion and the meerkat placed the compresses on his wounds.

When they finished, Simba just lied down again, ready to rest a little bit. Horen decided to use that moment to ask one thing to Simba, that had to be confirmed by that lion and nobody else.

"Simba…" began Horen rather hesitantly. "I thought to hear that you were worried with Timon and Pumbaa… just for curiosity… who are Timon and Pumbaa to you? What they mean to you?"

"Well, they saved me when I was a cub." said Simba. "And they took care of me eversince then." He added with sadder voice: "I also had a leopardess taking care of me… her name was Mkalimu… but she died yesterday."

On the last word, his voice broke, and some tears began flowing of his eyes. Simba said: "But whatever, what do you want?"

"We were just about to ask you if we can stay in this land for some time." said Horen firmly. "Can we?"

Simba thought for some seconds. It rather disliked him the idea of strange lions staying close to him: they could to hurt him, or Timon and Pumbaa. But those lions had just saved his life, Simba was in debt to them. It was in royal protocole – and also in normal rules of each lion's education – that debts had to be always paid.

"Sure, no problem." said Simba with rather relaxed voice.

Amini and the twins got visibly thrilled, but they stopped when Simba added: "Under one condition!"

The enthusiasm of the three younger lions disappeared slightly. Amini, trying to figure one way out, asked: "What is that condition?"

"You don't hunt Timon and Pumbaa. That's simple." said Simba.

"Oh… I assume there is no problem with that." said Horen. He turned to his lions: "Right?"

"Right, boss." said Daki and Laki together.

"Right, Horen." said Amini.

More tranquile about the problem of Keme being solved, and also more tranquile for having avenged Mkalimu, Simba went to his usual sleeping place, lied down, and fell asleep.

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_What did you think? Are your questions answered? Was this chapter acceptable? Please, review! I still need opinions!_


	47. Chapter 46: Wind from the desert

_Hello. Here it comes a new chapter. Well, after Simba's big trouble with Keme being solved, we return to the Pride Lands. Once again, some time measures. I point them out in the text, but making them clear doesn't hurt too much. _

_Well, 1 year has passed since Simba's trouble with Keme, 18 months have passed since the day when the Golden Pride arrived to the Pride Lands, 2 years have passed since the beginning of the Great Drought, 3 years have passed since the day of Shani's birth, 40 months have passed since Mufasa's death, 44 months have passed since Kisasian's birth, and 4 years have passed since Simba's and Nala's birth._

_Yakta (male) is copyrighted to TakaPL, and I have his permission to use him. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 46 – Wind from the desert**

The drought kept for another year, and the effects of it were very obvious on the Pride Lands. After two years of drought, life was going harder and harder. In normal conditions, it would already be difficult for a pride to stand a Great Drought, but for two prides and a hyena clan, the chances of survival were even smaller. Scar had perfect consciousness of it, but his promise that no one would die in his domain was kept.

The idea of dividing the two prides was surely helpful for both: it allowed them to cover a bigger area, and so the success in the hunts was bigger. Also some of the lionesses and lions became old enough to help in the pride's huntings, and that made everything easier. Hunting in bigger groups meant more success. Of course, it also meant more food, but the best success in hunting made up for that.

In spite of the drought, there were two things making the pride happy. Or, maybe better to say, making the Golden Pride and Scar happy. Zira was pregnant with her second cub. The Golden Pride was very surprised by knowing that Kisasian wouldn't be king after Scar, but they accepted that decision. Now they were happy and relieved with the fact of Zira having another cub, who would probably be the heir.

The second thing making Scar happy was the idea of Kisasian now being in good relations with his family. But the thing that seemed to make Kisasian really happy was Adia. When they weren't helping the prides in the hunting, they spent all their time hanging around together, and it was obvious for them that it was what they wanted the most. They were already a couple and, in about a year, they would almost certainly become mates. Kisasian and Adia had spoke many times about leaving the pride to start their own, but both insisted that they wouldn't do it before the Great Drought ended, because they had to help the pride. Both Kisasian's and Adia's parents were rather nervous of that idea. Scar and Zira assumed that if Kisasian was happy with that, he could go, and they trusted him, he was a responsible lion. But Hanja and Imani were more nervous with the idea of letting their daughter to leave. But, because the moment hadn't come yet, they decided not to think of it.

Scar was rather worried, because the relationships between the Pridelanders and the Golden Pride were much tensed, almost as much as the relationship between the two prides and the clan. Scar thought that about a year and a half of living together would be enough for them to be close, but it seemed that would be necessary more than that. Scar also thought that, after more than three years of Zira rulling as queen, the Pridelanders would have already accepted her – and him – as monarchs, but he realized that he was very wrong. The Golden Pride had completely accepted Zira as the rightful queen and – what was very surprising – they also accepted Scar as the rightful king, in spite of the fact of him being just Zira's mate.

Scar also assumed that the idea of Kisasian being close friend to Adia would serve to bring up more peace between the two prides, but that was even more wrong to assume, because almost all the Pridelanders treated Kisasian as an outsider. But now, the young lion didn't care with that. In fact, he ignored the Pridelanders almost as much as they ignored him, if not more.

Again, Scar was completely ignoring the fact that the Pridelanders were all plotting against him, Zira, the Golden Pride, and the hyenas. Sarabi kept organizing the trainings, but now they had to be extra-careful, because the other pride wouldn't be as easy to fool as the hyena clan. With all the time that they had to spend hunting for all the preys, there wasn't too much time sparing for the trainings, but every bit of free time was used (except the time that they spent sleeping). Most of the members of the pride were almost full-grown, but Sarabi decided to wait at least six months before advancing to the next part of the plan – finding a rogue lion to depose Scar.

Most of the members of the pride were still uncertain with the idea of putting a rogue interfering in the pride's bussiness, but they all agreed that if there was any lion of their pride doing that, the desert pride would be too suspicious that it would be a plot. And, one thing that they all – except Uzuri, Sakia and Mega – wanted was to drive off the Golden Pride and the hyena clan. Nala and Shani somehow seemed less convinced about that idea, though, and said that they should show some respect to the king and queen, but they didn't do much to oppose the other Pridelanders.

Eventually, one day, when Nala was four years old, it came one special moment. The birth of Zira's second cub began. But this time, it was very different from Kisasian's birth, at least for her.

Now, besides Uzuri and Sakia, she had her sister supporting her, and her whole pride. Well, her father, brother and uncle waited outside, like males normally did, but even so it was wondeful to feel so much support. And there was another difference – not so important when it came to moral support, but surely helpful if there was any problem with the birth of her cub. Worried with the birth of his mate's cub, Scar had ordered Rafiki to stay there since the very beginning, with one of his fruits prepared, because the shaman's skills could be necessary. He wasn't very happy with the idea of Rafiki having to stay – mainly because the relationship between the two wasn't the best – and he would have prefered if someone else, like Dhalimu, who knew a lot about medicine, would stay. But, to begin with, Dhalimu was a lion, and all lions should wait outside the cave while a birth happened, the only eventual exception being the mate of the lioness whose cub was being born. And mainly, Dhalimu had no knowledge about the strange fruit that also had helped Zira with Kisasian's birth. So, Rafiki inevitably had to stay there. This time, Scar wasn't with his mate, but he said that he was very busy, and Zira understood - or thought to have understood – what he had gone to do.

Almost all the lionesses in the cave were ready to support and help Zira if necessary – at least all the Golden Lionesses. From them, only one of them stood aside. That was Shakisa. She was concerned with her queen, but now she had her own cub to look after: a male cub named Yakta.

Born about a week and a half before that day, Yakta was a cub with sandy fur and blue eyes. He also had a tuft of red fur on his head that would become a red mane. The cub was healthy and strong, and a little big for a newborn, in spite of the fact of having born in so hard times like a Great Drought. Maybe it was because the life in the Pride Lands affected by the drought wasn't too diferent from the life in the desert affected by the drought.

Without the Golden Lioness noticing, Sarabi gave her an angry look, while her thoughts weren't better.

"I don't know what is worst." thought Sarabi, while trying to hide her anger. "If the fact that Shakisa was crazy enough to have a cub in so hard times like this drought is, or the fact that she found a rogue before us!"

Shakisa was a moderate built lioness, so Yakta's physical size was probably inherited from his unknown father, and that rogue would probably be strong enough to depose Scar… if they had found him.

But she tried to hide those thoughts as she turned to Zira, who was currently facing many problems with the birth of her second cub. This birth was probably even harder than Kisasian's birth, or at least that was what Zira felt.

"This pain… is even bigger… than I thought…" said Zira, after making another unsuccessful push. It did push the cub further, but not far enough.

Kira, who had no cubs, could in fact do anything, just hug her sister and give her some moral support.

"Don't worry." she said. "It will turn out fine. Just push again."

Zira made another unsuccessful push further, but Rafiki, prepared for that, extended the hand that was holding the fruit to Zira. The queen, guessing what he meant, gave a big bite on the fruit, almost taking Rafiki's hand. She felt her energy regained almost on the moment.

"I believe that now you may push further." said Rafiki with his usual calm voice.

Zira made an attempt to push further, but this time it didn't come as expected. The cub was indeed pushed further, but not far enough.

"Wh… what is happen…" tried to ask Zira, but Rama blocked her words.

"Don't waste your breath, my dear. Just push further. If you manage to make another push like the previous one, the cub will come out."

Trying to gather all the remaining strenght that she could have, Zira gave the final push that she was able to give. But it was enough. Finally the cub was out, and, after yet another push, all the birth-process was over.

Kira grabbed her newborn nephew and placed him on her sister's paws. Finally, they could give a better look to the cub. This new cub was a male with grayish-brown fur, and a black tuft on the head that, in the future, would become a black mane. But there was something unusual about him. The cub was scrawny and weak, and even seemed sick. He barely moved.

"Wh… what happened?" asked Zira worriedly, looking at her newborn son worriedly. "Rafiki… what happened to my cub?"

"He seems sick." said the old mandrill. "But I think that he will survive. If he survives the next two days, he will probably live."

It wasn't too cheering up for Zira, but she was slightly relieved. But probably this cub also couldn't become the future king. He was so weak that probably he would never fully grow, the responsibility of kingship would be too big for a cub like him. It meant that probably Scar and Zira would need to have at least one more cub.

"My lady…" said Rafiki to Zira. "If you allow me one suggestion, I would advise you for not to have any cub, at least for another year. This birth was very hard, it will probably take at least a year for you to recover completely. If you try to have another cub before being completely recovered, it would risk two lives: yours, and the cub's."

After that, Rafiki grabbed his stick, and said: "With your permission, I shall leave."

Zira nodded, and Rafiki returned to his tree. After that, Kisasian and the other males came in. The queen was instantly surrounded by her father, brother, uncle, and son.

"Congratulations, my dear." said Arista. "He's a wonderful cub."

"In spite of his physical problems." added Sparthi.

Zira smiled, but she noticed that her uncle and son didn't seem so convinced about her newborn cub, in spite the fact of being happy.

"What shall be his name?" asked Kisasian, looking at his younger brother.

"Well…" said Zira. "Your father and I have decided that, if this cub was a male, we'd call him Nuka."

"Nuka?" asked Kisasian, confused, and probably somewhat scared.. "Mom… you do know what that means?..."

"It means "wind from the desert", in our ancient language." said Dhalimu, interrupting his grandnephew.

Kisasian made a relief sigh, but then he added, again with slightly scared voice: "Do you know what it means in our language?"

"In concrete words, we know." said Sparthi. "But it doesn't matter. A cub's value isn't measured by his name, but for who he is actually."

Kisasian thought for some time, before agreeing with his uncle. Dhalimu seemed to be analyzing the newborn cub still, and after some tensed moments, he said to Zira: "My dear… I'm sorry, but I think it will be hard for this cub to be your heir."

"Then it will have to be one of my next cubs." replied Zira plainly, like if that solved the question.

"Do you know where is Scar?" asked Dhalimu, curious. "Why he isn't here with you?"

"Dad said that he went to hunt something for mom to eat and have good milk." said Kisasian. "Tojo is with him. I would have gone as well, but dad told me to stay here with mom."

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On the eastern border of the Pride Lands, two lions were sneaking a herd of zebras. Almost half of the original herds of the Pride Lands had left already, but the remanining ones were still enough. Scar had to take down preys from them. Some hyenas were guarding the flanks, but it was up to Scar and Tojo to catch the prey.

"Don't hurry." whispered the king. "You have to be sure that you'll get the prey. We only have one try… save your energy well… NOW!"

The two lions jumped from their covers, and at the same moment the hyenas began howling and snarling in an attempt to leave the herd disoriented. Scar chose one of the bigger zebras and pounced at full speed, landing on the zebra's back. But the big zebra was still strong enough to shake Scar off before the lion managed to hold on tight. However, Tojo jumped right after with masterful precision, landing on the zebra's neck and delivering the final blow shortly after.

"Well done!" said Scar. "Great hit, Tojo! You're wonderful in hunting."

"Thank you… Scar." replied Tojo with unnatural voice. "We should get back quickly, or we will be too hungry to refrain from eating this delicious zebra."

"Wait." said Scar. "First, you must eat a piece, and regain your energy. It's a necessity, not a trophy."

Scar showed that by ripping off one piece to the hyenas that had supported them. Tojo gave them an angry look, and ate one piece of meat himself, but the way how he ate it expressed his anger.

"Tojo, are you all right?" asked Scar, worried. "You look angry."

"It's nothing." replied Tojo with tensed voice.

"Something is bothering you." said Scar, looking carefully on the young lion. "I'm very sorry to bother you with this extra hunt, but… Zira's cub was born and..."

He got silenced, seeing Tojo's look. He seemed angry and sad at the same time. Scar asked: "Have I done something wrong?"

"Nothing…" replied Tojo sadly. "But, eversince the desert pride came here, you spend all your time with your mate and son… you have almost no time for me… I'm happy for you, but…"

Scar swallowed a piece of meat, but after that he looked on Tojo more carefully.

"Tojo…" said Scar. "I'm still your king… and friend, if you allow me to say it. But try to understand… I have my duties to both prides… to this clan… and last, but not least, to my mate and cubs. I know I neglected you… I had to… but I'm sorry, nonetheless."

"No." interrupted Tojo. "I understand it all. You have a mate and a family…"

"My boy..." said Scar with decisive voice. "A king's pride is his family. So you are all my family… and I, as king, want to be like father to you… even if I failed, it doesn't mean that I don't want it."

"I know." said Tojo, slightly calmer. "Let's go back. They are waiting for us."

As they returned to Pride Rock with the prey, some wind began blowing. That wind came from northwest.

"From the desert." thought Scar. "It seems that we haven't seen the last of this drought yet."

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On that night, many members of the desert pride didn't sleep well. Scar returned to Zira to find out that his newborn son wasn't alright. In fact, he seemed very sick, and it even seemed uncertain that he would survive. The fact that if Nuka survived for two days made almost certain that he lived calmed Scar down a little bit, but not too much. And with that, came another problem. Just like Dhalimu, Scar thought that the burden and responsibilities of kingship were too hard for the weak and sick cub that Nuka was. Both knew that the most important factor in kingship wasn't physical strenght, but it was also a little bit important. So, Scar again said that the heir would be the next cub of Zira. Uzuri told him that Rafiki had advised Zira for not to have any cub at least for a year, because the risk of her death would be too big. The king concluded that the only way out was to wait.

The sleep of the Golden Pride was very uneasy, because they were all rather worried with the health of the newborn prince. Among them, the only one completely relaxed was Yakta, still too young to be aware of the problem.

The Pridelanders didn't show a simmilar concern for the young Nuka (or maybe they didn't want to show it to Sarabi), so most of them slept rather well, but one of them couldn't sleep at all.

That one was Shani. Eversince the day when the desert pride had arrived and Kisasian had reconciled with his parents, because of Adia, she had an uneasy sleep, because it was very hard for her to stand the idea of losing Kisasian. On her reasonable moments, she decided that it was all because of her, that she left Kisasian completely alone – in fact, she even drove him away – and so Adia got him for herself… no, she didn't get him for herself, Kisasian went for her by his free will.

"But I had plans!" thought Shani, looking at the stars. "Once I made my first hunt… what I already did in fact – I could become a free lioness, and Kisasian and I could go away and start our pride… all alone! But that Adia had to appear and destroy everything!"

On that moment, Shani heard a noise behind her, and she noticed something. Adia had just come out of the cave. Why, she didn't know, but maybe it was exactly what she needed.

Adia didn't notice Shani for some moments, but, when she looked on her direction, she noticed her soon. Eventhough she tried not to seem affected, she extended her claws and narrowed her eyes. It was no secret that the two lionesses disliked each other, mainly because of Kisasian – or maybe better to say, because of Kisasian. Each one loved Scar's older son deeply, but he only loved Adia. But that didn't mean that Shani was willing to give up that easily.

"Good night." said Adia, trying not to sound too poisonous.

"Not anymore." said Shani, without any worrying to hide her real feelings. "It was a good night, until you came here. In fact, my whole life was good before you came here!"

"What do you mean?" roared Adia, now without any concern with hiding what she was really feeling and thinking. "I barely interfere with your life! We barely cross each other's ways!"

"Liar!" shouted Shani, with her violet eyes flashing in rage. "You may not interfere much, but you interfered in one crucial point! You stole Kisasian from me!"

For some seconds, Adia didn't speak, too amazed with Shani's sentence. Then, she burst in laughter – in ironical and poisonous laughter, to be exact – before saying, in a very simmilar voice: "I stole Kisasian from you? I stole Kisasian from you? Kisasian was free and, according with what he told me, you even DROVE HIM AWAY! And you even said that I stole him from you?"

"YES!" roared Shani. "YOU STOLE HIM FROM ME!"

"He was free!" shouted Adia, beginning to get really angry with Shani's talking. "And I would NEVER…" she stressed that word. "…steal him from someone! He came to me because he wanted!"

"I LOVED HIM!" roared Shani, so loud that Adia was almost feeling her ears buzzing. "I STILL LOVE HIM! If not for you, he could be my mate now!"

"And how did you show your "love" to him?" asked Adia, again with ironical and poisonous voice. "By driving him away, just because your mother forbid you to hang around with him?"

She stopped for some seconds, before adding: "Well, I'm sorry, but now, Kisasian isn't yours… he isn't any prize of any duel."

However, her voice was suggesting something quite opposite. And Shani understood it. The golden lioness pounced on the silverfurred lioness, pinned her on her back, and roared: "IS THAT A CHALLENGE?"

"SHUT UP!" shouted some voice from below.

Both the lionesses looked at the base of Pride Rock, understanding that one of the hyenas had shouted. Another hyena said: "If you want to argue, argue at your free will, you can even kill each other, we don't care! But do it somewhere else, and let us to sleep!"

The two lionesses acted like if they didn't hear the hyena's shouts, but on that moment, Kisasian appeared like if out of nowhere. With a single move, he pushed his cousin from Adia. He helped his girlfriend to get up, and only then he dared to look on Shani. She was almost unharmed, except for a small cut of her face. But she was angry, and at the same time sad.

"You've hit me…" said Shani with deeply angry voice, but at the same time with tears running down her cheeks. "You've hit me!"

"You were trying to hurt Adia!" said Kisasian, also angry, but somewhat sorry for what he had done. He didn't regret to have stopped Shani, but he regretted not to have done it in a smoother way.

Shani didn't reply again, but she turned to the other side and began crying even more, covering her face with her paws. Kisasian came closer very slowly, and said: "I… I didn't mean to hurt you, Shani… are you all right?"

"Get out!" sobbed Shani, without looking at him.

He was extending his paw in an attempt to comfort Shani, but then, the fear of what Adia would think, and the fear of what would happen next, made him to stop. So, he just turned back to Adia, who, in spite of everything, couldn't help but to feel somewhat sorry for Shani's sadness and pain.

"Kisasian…" whispered Adia, when they came back to the cave. "You..."

"If you are going to ask, if I will actually be your mate, of course I will! I love you, Adia!"

Adia felt more assured after that , in spite the fact that it was one thing she knew since the very beginning. But she asked: "And Shani?"

Kisasian hesitated a little bit before replying: "Shani is my cousin. I love her as a friend and as my cousin… but not as I love you. Maybe I already loved her as I love you, but deffinetly not now."

With those words, he licked Adia's cheek, and they lied down, more peacefully.

Outside the cave, Shani was still crying, but eventually, she raised her head, and said to an unseen auditor: "This won't stay like that! That Adia will regret what she has done!"

Some more wind blew from northwest, making the night unexpectedly warm. Shani just lied down right there, because it would be rather unpleasant to sleep inside the cave in a hot night.

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review! I still need opinions!_


	48. Chapter 47: Different kinds of prey

_Well, here I am, publishing another chapter of this fanfic. I believe that some of you may be very surprised at this... Once again, just to make things clear, I'll put some dates. _

_8 months have passed since Nuka's birth, 26 months have passed since the arrival of the Golden Pride to the Pride Lands, 32 months have passed since the beginning of the Great Drought, 44 months have passed since the day of Shani's birth, 4 years have passed since Mufasa's death, and 56 months have passed since the day of Simba's and Nala's births._

_Well, Hawaa (female) is TakaPL's character, and I have his permission to use her. The Cubs Sanctuary is TakaPL's place, and I have his permission to use it. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 47 – Different kinds of prey**

Almost eight months passed since the day of Nuka's birth, and the extremely intense dry season was still lasting. In spite of the second royal cub grew up, but unfortunately, he kept scrawny and weak, because his illness greatly affected his growth, and even after eight months, it wasn't completely healed. But most likely it would be healed soon, and at least Nuka was still alive. Sometimes, came moments when the illness became stronger again, and it seemed that the prince wouldn't survive, but as much as Nuka seemed physically weak, also had a strong mind. Like his father, Nuka seemed to have "the lion's share, as much as brains go", and Scar felt proud of that. If not for the young cub being so weak physically, the king would have made him the heir.

Nuka was a good friend of Yakta, who seemed the opposite of him when it came to physical health, and they enjoyed playing together. But the young prince's best friend was Hawaa, daughter of Kilia, with grey fur and brown eyes. In fact, she was the first Pridelander born eversince the beginning of the Great Drought. Hawaa was about six months younger than Nuka, but the slight age difference didn't affect their strong friendship.

The Pridelanders didn't seem too happy with the idea of one of their cubs being such a good friend of the Golden Pride, or, like they sometimes called them, the "outsiders", but they did nothing to break that friendship, probably only because they couldn't. Sarabi was also slighty bored with the idea of Kilia having a cub, and having let the father escape without asking him if he wouldn't help them. Eventually, Kilia told the former queen that she had mated with the rogue close to the Eastern Border, where the Pride Lands bordered with the Green Hills. She, accompanied by Nala and Nuru, tried to find the rogue again, but it seemed that he had disappeared like a ghost. Kilia had said countless times (at least in her mind) that she would prefer the father to be Tojo, not a rogue, but, much to her annoyance, Tojo and Kula were slowly becoming a couple, especially since one day when he saved her from an eland antelope's horns. Kilia was angry, she couldn't deny, but, as she loved Tojo, she respected the fact that he would be happy with Kula.

The real problem that they were beginning to face – besides the Great Drought – was the unsatisfaction of the hyenas. They were complaining more and more. Scar had tried to discipline them, by developing another method of hunting. He had to guard the hyenas, who were wandering in the Pride Lands, looking for dead preys. He had determined in the best possible way the kind of meat that his subjects could bring, and wanted the clan to give the pride all the meat that lions could eat without getting sick. The hyena triplets normally obeyed that rule, but the other hyenas rarely followed their example. Scar slowly discovered that maybe the Golden Pride could be more trusted than his original subjects, both Pridelanders and the clan. At least they were willing to help taking care of Nuka, as of Yakta and Hawaa, unlike Pridelanders, who still considered Zira as a stranger.

Sometimes, Scar felt that the hyena clan would rebel at any moment. He tried to prevent that by disciplining them severely, but he wasn't sure for how long the clan would hang on so much discipline.

One day, Scar again went on a further patrol, in an attempt to find any prey or water source that could have escaped them. Zira went with Nuka, Yakta and Hawaa to a small cave, discovered close to the border with the Outlands, who was appropriately called "Cub's Sanctuary". It was a small cave, but it's main advantage was a water source. It gave rather small portions of water, but it was enough for three lionesses and three cubs. But, because the mothers couldn't stay with the cubs always, because of duties in the pride, they made turns. This time, Zira would be the one taking care of the cubs.

Shakisa didn't have too much problems leaving Yakta at the care of her queen, because she had total trust in Zira. Kilia, who was a Pridelander, and still considered Zira as stranger, in spite the fact of living with her almost her whole life, had initially refused the proposition of the queen taking Hawaa to the Cub's Sanctuary, but Hawaa had begged so much that in the end her mother just couldn't say no, and unwillingly allowed the monarchess to take her cub to the small cave with Nuka and Yakta. Hawaa was delighted with the idea of spending time with Nuka, but Kilia surely wasn't.

On that day, Sarabi, Sarafina, and Nala, who had stayed on Pride Rock with some other members of both prides (according to Scar, it would be good not to exhaust all the subjects at once, and altern the days of hunting), were speaking about the best possible way to solve their problem. That was: finding a rogue strong enough to kill Scar and take over. They were whispering, for not to be heard by the desert lions and lionesses who stayed behind.

"How can we find a rogue lion?" asked Nala to Sarabi. "I think the only solution is to wait that he comes to meet us!"

"We don't have time for that!" said Sarabi. "With each passing day, there are fewer chances of us to survive the drought if we stay in this place!"

"But why Scar doesn't accept to leave the Pride Lands?" asked Sarafina, confused. "Haven't you tried to speak with him about him about that?"

"He told that it would be salvation to some, but almost certain death for the younger and weaker members of the pride." said Sarabi. "But what is better? To leave, risking the lives of younger ones, or stay, and risk the lives of all of us?"

"I don't think that Scar will ever leave the Pride Lands." said Nala. "I once heard him saying to Tojo that he made an oath to stay here forever."

"So…" said Sarafina. "I think the only thing that lefts us is to hope that the rogue, whoever he is, doesn't rule worst than Scar."

"If he cares for us all and chases those hyenas away, he will surely rule better than Scar." said Sarabi angrily. "Any lion in this pride would rule way better than Scar. We just can't use any of them because that dammed Golden Pride would be too suspicious."

"But do you have any idea about how we can find a rogue?" insisted Sarafina, repeating a question already made by her daughter. "You know how rogues are like, they appear in a kingdom, if they think about it as proper, they stay for some time (normally until the king finds them) and then they move away. But if they find a kingdom unworthy to live, they just stay for some hours, and leave! The Pride Lands are big, finding a single rogue in them would be extremely difficult!"

"It would be easier to find a pack." said Nala. "But, if we found a pack, there would be the problem of facing the unsatisfaction of the other rogues. So, we can only ask that task to a lone lion."

"We will think about that at a later time, discussing it with the whole pride." said Sarabi. "Now, we should try to rest, to be as fresh as possible tonight, to have our meeting."

Sarabi and Sarafina lied down in an attempt to sleep, but Nala quickly got up.

"You should try to rest, my dear." said Sarafina gently. "You will need your strength tomorrow."

"I think I will go for a walk." said Nala, calmly. "I'm not tired… and… today it is the anniversary of that day."

Both Sarabi and Sarafina knew what Nala meant, but eventhough the young lioness explained it: "The anniversary of Simba and Mufasa's deaths. It happened four years ago… only four years ago? Any moment without Simba seems like an eternity for me."

Nala sadly walked away from Pride Rock, trying not to cry with all her might. Eventually, a big tear came out of each of her eyes. It could be called a waste of water, any drop of it was necessary to outlive that drought, but Nala just couldn't help it. Her mother and the former queen watched her leaving with sad stares, trying not to follow her example with all their might. Eventually, Sarabi also released two tears.

"Oh, Simba… Mufasa…" thought Sarabi, looking at the sky. "How I wish that you would still be alive… I wouldn't be so alone… and no one of you two would have pulled our pride into this mess!"

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Nala walked without thinking, going to where her paws took her, not actually paying attention to the way, busy with her thoughts about Simba. How she wished that he would be still alive… always with his good mood, happiness, some bravery to face the problems….

She still had her father, brother and mother, not counting for Nuru, who was like a younger sister to her, but Simba's death had left an empty place in her heart that nobody was able to replace.

Almost without she noticing it, her wanderings lead her to the Border River. When she arrived, she looked at the other bank.

"The Outlands." thought Nala, looking to the opposite side of the river. "I wonder if there is any kind of hunt there… if I did a successful hunt today, most likely we wouldn't need to do another tomorrow."

It deffinetly sounded rather strange that there was any chance of making a good kill in the Outlands, but Nala wasn't exactly looking for food, just walking around. If she found any kind of prey, she would bring it, but if she didn't, she would just return home and go on the next day's hunt, like it was supposed.

"I won't know if there is something to hunt there until I look." said Nala, making a decisive step towards the Outlands.

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About twenty minutes later, Nala was already walking deep in the Outlands, not looking for anything in particular, only worried with admiring the place, and trying to discover any secret about him, like Simba would have done with any new place where he went. In spite the fact that she had already been on the Outlands for a short period of time during her cubhood, she hadn't time, or maybe better to say, attention, to completely analyze the place. That place was silent, un-naturally silent, unlike the Pridelanders, where normally were listened all the kinds of whispers, like birds singing, noises of bugs, or simply the wind blowing on the grass.

However, Nala's ears flicked up instantly when she heard one sound. It was barely heard, but she recognized it instantly. She turned her head left, and saw a wonderful sight.

Zebras. A group of five zebras grazing on some plants that grew there. Those plants, surprisingly, managed to be rather green in spite of the severe heat.

Licking her lips in antecipation, Nala crouched, beginning to sneak the zebras. If she managed to take down one, the pride wouldn't probably need of doing any hunt on the next day. On the days of the Great Drought, Scar rarely allowed for lone hunts, because they were more dangerous and less successful than group huntings. On a hard situation like that one, the pride couldn't lose two things: hunting members, and preys. The moments of solitary hunts only happened when a lion or lioness of any of the two prides became three years old, and had to make a lone hunt in order to be actually considered an adult.

Nala knew it was very likely that Scar would be angry at her, but in fact she didn't care too much with Scar or Zira getting angry at her. She also knew it would be a little bit more dangerous to hunt on her own without any help.

"But in order for me to be actually myself, I also must do these things alone." said Nala, while taking some more careful steps towards the preys.

It was actually much harder for her to sneak on the Outlands that on the Pride Lands, because on the Outlands there wasn't high grass, for she to hide, only rocks. The big stones could give good enough cover, but the smaller pebbles – on that dry place existed a lot more than on her homeland – could easily make a sound that would alert the preys, if they were pushed. Besides, jumping from behind rocks wasn't as easy as from the middle of the high grass.

But, with enough patience, Nala ended up sneaking close enough to the small group of zebras. When the lioness got closer, she instantly got surprised at the health that the zebras seemed to have. In spite of the dry place that the Outlands were, those zebras were as healthy as the ones caught on the Pride Lands, maybe even slightly healthier.

Comparing both the places, Nala concluded that, on the Great Drought, the Outlands were as fertile as the Pride Lands, maybe even slightly more. It seemed that the land was so poor, that even an extremely hot and hard dry season wasn't able to corrupt it more. According to the few memories of the Outlands that she had from her cubhood, the place hadn't gotten any worst.

But, shaking away all the thoughts of the fertility of the place, Nala just regained her focusing on the zebra herd, waiting for the proper moment to attack.

"There…" whispered Nala, licking her lips while dreaming with the taste of the zebra. "Just a bit closer… YOU'RE MINE!"

On that moment, Nala jumped from behind the rocks, running straight at the zebra that she had selected, but, just when she pounced, one lion did the same! Nala noticed him, but she didn't care, it was necessary to focus on the zebra that she wanted to catch. The zebras tried to keep themselves together, in an attempt to confuse the two predators, but Nala's eyes were fixated on the one that she wanted to catch.

She jumped, grabbing one of the bigger zebras of the group by the neck, pinning her prey down. The immobilized zebra tried to release herself, by waving her paws, but there wasn't any chance of she hitting Nala on that position. The lioness plunged her claws deep in the zebra's flesh, cutting off the neck arteries, and then she opened her jaws, squashing the zebra's trachea.

Only then, she finally looked at the other lion, adopting a defensive posture, in spite of the fact that she would have little chances against a giant male. The other lion also stood in front of his prey, the biggest zebra of the group, ready to protect it. Because he was bigger than Nala, it had been harder to sneak towards the zebra, but had also been way easier to kill it. A single masterful jump on the zebra's neck was enough to leave the prey on the ground, and a quick neck bite solved the rest.

Nala looked at the lion for some moments, not dropping a defensive posture, but at the same time trying to analyze who that lion could be. The lion was very big and powerful, almost as much as Mufasa. He had dark-grey fur, black mane, and deep blue eyes. The lion seemed somewhat familiar to her… she had seen him once, during her cubhood… it couldn't be… it was…

"Bovu?" asked Nala, amazed.

The lion was also analyzing the strange lioness that stood in front of him. That light golden fur and blue-green eyes were familiar to him. Even the shape of her eyes was familiar to him. And then he remembered. He had seen that lioness once, during his cubhood, she had saved him from a crocodile, eventhough she was only a cub on that time. She and her best friend. The prove that it was that lioness was the fact that she called that name.

He dropped his defensive posture and said, with a friendly smile: "Guess again."

Nala stood, amazed. This wasn't the lion that she thought! Well, of course it couldn't be. That lion was young enough to be son of the one that she thought him to be! In fact, it was extremely simmilar to him! But then who could be? Then, she looked into the lion's deep blue eyes, and remembered the cub that she and Simba had saved from being devoured by a crocodile.

"Shimo?" asked Nala, with an even more disbelieful voice.

"Hello, Nala!" said Shimo, smiling again. "What are you doing in the Outlands?"

"It is you!" shouted Nala joyfully.

Then ran into each other and bumped their heads together in a cub-like greeting. Nala couldn't help but to look at Shimo more carefully. He surely wasn't the small cub that she remembered. Now, he was a five years old lion, almost full-grown, big and powerful. Shimo also dropped the young cub that had saved him at the sight of the beautiful young lioness. He wasn't in love with her, but… seeing a full-grown lioness for the first time in many years was special for him.

"What are you doing still here?" asked Nala. "Haven't you ever found a new home?"

"My father and I have stayed here during my whole life." said Shimo, this time in a serious voice. "This place was fertile enough for both of us. As you can see, I grew up healthy!"

Joining the gesture to the word, he shook his large paw in front of Nala's face, but being careful enough for not to touch her. The lioness laughed, but then, Shimo added, slightly concerned: "But what are you doing here alone? You still haven't replied to that. And why are you alone? Where's Simba?"

With those words, Nala's happiness disappeared, and her face instantly became sad. The worried Shimo came to her and hugged her gently. He had some lack of practise when it came to behave in society, but he believed that what he had to do was to comfort the lioness like his father did with him when he was sad.

"What did I say?" asked the lion, with some sadness in his voice.

"Simba… is dead…" managed to say Nala between sobs. After that, she began crying on the lion's shoulder.

Those words made Shimo to feel even sadder. He was also almost crying when he remembered the cub who had risked his life to save him… the only friend of around his age that he ever had, not counting for Nala.

Because Shimo had very little friends, due to his isolation, to lose a single one was harder to stand. Especially such a good one like Simba was. He closed his eyes hardly to hold his tears, and then, he asked: "How did that happen?"

Nala went apart from him, and managed to say, in a sad voice: "Four years ago… exactly four years ago… Mufasa died trying to save Simba from a wildebeest stampede."

"Mufasa!" thought Shimo. "The funeral that I and daddy saw was Mufasa's!"

He didn't say this aloud, for Nala not to know that he and his father had intruded, but he said: "Keep going."

"But it was in vain." said Nala, even sadder. "Simba died as well."

On that moment, she began crying again. Shimo just hugged her gently, believing that was the best comfort that he could give her. They splitted apart for some moments, but then, she said: "And you don't even know of the worst part."

"Worst?" asked Shimo, curious, but at the same time, a little bit scared.

"After Mufasa's death, his brother, Scar, took over as king. He invited a whole clan of hyenas to live in the Pride Lands…"

"HYENAS?" roared Shimo, with amaze and anger mixed on his voice.

Now he knew that something had to be wrong. A king who invited hyenas to live in his domain had surely some type of mind problem. Inviting hyenas was crazy, they only think about eating. They would probably ruin a whole domain in a matter of little years. Four years would probably be enough for that.

On that moment, Shimo understood something. The hyenas runining Nala's homeland were surely the hyenas that had lived on the Outlands, killed his mother, and almost killed him!

"Now that explains why the hyenas misteriously disappeared from the Outlands about four years ago." said Shimo, more to himself than to Nala, eventhough she heard him completely.

"And there's something even worst."

"Even?" asked Shimo, with his amazement reaching unimagined limits. Now he was getting even confused. What could be worst than hyenas infesting Nala's home? He asked, rather fearfully: "Even worst?"

"Yes." said Nala. "More than two years ago, a drought began… and it ruined our homeland almost completely. Like if that wasn't enough, a new pride appeared, and now they are loyal to Scar!"

"That pride has to be crazy." thought Shimo. "Be loyal to that kind of king? And even worst, living on that kingdom! Hyenas and a drought are the worst possible combination that any kingdom has to face!"

Shimo thought for some moments, and then, he said: "Uh… Nala… come with me to my home. I will talk with my father, maybe we can help you and your pride. Unless… you don't want our help."

Nala finally stopped crying, as she understood something. Sarabi wanted a rogue that would depose Scar. And the answer came to her on that moment! Here was the rogue! In fact, two rogues! Both Shimo and his father had enough physical potential to kill Scar, and at the same time, they were good-hearted enough to be reasonable kings. Maybe not as good as Mufasa...

"Or Scar." added some bitter voice in Nala's mind.

… but surely good enough to rule fairly and gently. The young lioness still couldn't believe the huge luck that she had. She had just gone for a walk, and it was enough to have solved two problems: finding a prey and finding a rogue! In fact, the rogue that they had to find was just like a different kind of prey, because after all, both the prey and the rogue were hunted. The main difference was that the prey was hunted to eat, and the rogue was hunted to help them.

Nala tried to repress her emotions as much as she could, yet she couldn't help but to say somewhat joyfully: "Shimo… I would feel very honoured if you and your father accept to help us."

"Well, then it settles it!" said Shimo, moving forward to nuzzle Nala.

However, Nala backed away from her friend.

"What's the matter, Nala?" asked the lion, somewhat worried, but also a little bit guilty.

"Shimo…" said Nala very slowly. "I'm sorry… but I can't be involved with you like that. This is a matter of my pride, I must help them first. Understand?"

"It's alright." said Shimo, as gently as he could. "I understand. Now, get your zebra, I get mine, and I'll guide you to my home!"

And so, both the lions began dragging their respective preys, over dry rocks and under merciless sun.

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_Well... what did you think? I do believe I managed to make quite an unexpected return of some characters... but that's open to discussion. But, please, review! I still need opinions!_


	49. Chapter 48: Received help

_Hello. Well, here it is another chapter, following with the plot of the last one. I hope that you will enjoy it, in spite the fact that things are getting rather ugly, I would say... Whatever, let's begin!_

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**Chapter 48 – Received help**

After dragging their respective zebras for a rather long distance, Nala and Shimo arrived to a particularly big termite mound, easily distinguishable from any other one that existed on the Outlands. Nala's jaw almost dropped in amazement, but she didn't want to let the zebra loose, so she just made a light sound of surprise, following Shimo to the termite mound.

The two lions came inside the mound, and, after doing it, Nala could finally drop the zebra. She lied down, very tired, and still feeling very dizzy because of sunstroke, with her muscles burning in pain. Dragging a zebra for such a long distance in the Outlands wasn't deffinetly easy. The ground was very hard there, and sun seemed merciless, draining her strength out in a rather short period of time.

Shimo noticed it, and also dropped his zebra. He wasn't very tired, for him, dragging so heavy preys for such a large distance was almost a routine, but he noticed that Nala, not used to do so many efforts, was actually tired.

"Are you all right, Nala?" asked Shimo, worried.

Without any actual breath to speak, she only nodded "yes", but her friend understood that she looked actually exhausted. He said: "Uh… Nala, if you are thristy, I advise you to suck some blood out of your zebra… unless you prefer me to get you some water."

The amazement because of that question was so much that Nala was forced to make a question, in spite of the fact that speaking gave her slight headaches.

"Is there any water here?" asked Nala, unable to believe in her ears.

"Well…" said Shimo. "In the rainy season, there is a river here, but when the rainy season ends, it disappears. The main water is taken from sources in caves. It would be rather little water for a big pride, but for me and my dad it lasts forever, especially considering that the water is replaced by dew that flows from cracks in the cave."

"You seem to act like ruler of this land." said Nala, smiling ironically. "Should I call you «my prince»?"

"You're making me to blush." said Shimo, giggling. "Now, I will get you water… well, let's see…"

Shimo looked around the cave, trying to pick up the best vessel to bring water to his friend. After some time, he bended down and grabbed a particularly big buffalo skull. Nala gulped.

"Is that a buffalo?" asked the lioness, a little bit scared.

"Yep." said Shimo, seemingly relaxed. "I hunted this one down myself, about two weeks ago."

"You WHAT?" asked Nala, amazed. "You hunted a buffalo all by yourself?"

She had never heard something like that. Sometimes her pride hunted buffalos, she had even helped in killing one, but, at least as she could recall, it wasn't as big as this one (although she couldn't get a real idea of the buffalo's size only because of the skull) and it had been necessary six lionesses to take him down.

But once again, Shimo seemed relaxed, as he replied: "Yup. I needed a whole night to kill it, but it paid well in the end."

"Wasn't it dangerous?" insisted the lioness, with her amazement (and fear) growing by the second.

"Of course it was dangerous!" said Shimo. "But, here in the Outlands, we can't wait to find another prey. There are some small antelopes here, but they are hard to catch. It secures better a meal to hunt any prey that we get. Now, if you allow me, I'll get your water."

With those words, Shimo left the cave with the buffalo skull in his mouth. Nala lied down, but she concluded that she could be sure about something: if the son was like that, the father would surely be even stronger!

In an attempt to spend her time while she waited for Shimo to bring the water, Nala looked around the termite mound. The whole space was big, probably two normal prides would be able to live there, and would spare quite some space.

She noticed, right in the centre of the cave, a tree trunk, that seemed like some sort of seat, but besides that, there wasn't anything more unusual.

"The king's throne." thought Nala, ironically. "It seems that it's exactly what Shimo's father is on this land."

However, Nala was thrown away from her thoughts when she saw a huge form entering the termite mound. It was a lion, but not Shimo. However, the lion that had just appeared was almost a copy of him, and could even be mistaken by Shimo, if not for being slightly bigger and having black eyes.

Nala gulped slightly at the sight of the lion, in spite the fact she had recognized him. It was Bovu. But, just because she remembered him, it didn't mean that the rogue understood who she was, especially in the half-darkness of the termite-mound. Nala knew that Bovu wasn't evil, but she didn't know how he reacted to strangers in his home (in spite of the fact that it was very unlikely that visitors were common in the Outlands). She tried to stay very quiet, hoping to remain un-noticed until Shimo returned, but the lion instantly noticed her.

It was rather obvious that he was suspicious, because his eyes narrowed, and he made an angry stare, extending his claws at the same time. Nala almost gulped, looking at how sharp were Bovu's claws, in spite of the fact that he walked in the Outlands's rocks.

But the lion said, with the more friendly voice that he could adopt: "Hello. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Hello, Mr. Bovu..." said Nala, trying not to quiver with fear.

"You know my name?" asked Bovu, with slightly more relaxed voice, but keeping his claws extended. "How?"

Nala was about to answer that question, but, before she could do it, Shimo entered the cave, returning with the buffalo skull filled with some water. He dropped it, and then, Bovu looked at him.

"Hello, dad." said Shimo.

"Who is she, son?" asked Bovu, curious. "Do you know her?"

"Dad, don't you remembered her?" asked Shimo, slightly fearful. "She's Nala. She and Simba…"

But, before Shimo could finish the sentence, Bovu turned to the lioness, and said, with a much more friendly voice and a big smile: "Little Nala! Of course I remember!"

He went to the lioness, and hugged her tenderly. The lioness gulped, seeing that Bovu hugged her without hiding his claws. He probably had just forgotten, but the claws of such a large lion – or even a hug too tight – could hurt her. However, the rogue was careful enough for not to hurt her. She heard Bovu saying: "My, how you've grown! It's good to see you again, my dear."

Nala made a relief sigh, and Shimo gave her the buffalo-skull. She drank the water, while examining Bovu. He was even stronger than Shimo (even if the difference wasn't too big) and seemed in perfect physical condition as well. Because he was slightly bigger than Shimo (and also the older), he would be the one to depose Scar. Now, she only had to do her role in a convincing way.

The moment for it came soon, because Bovu asked in a more serious voice: "What are you doing in the Outlands? Haven't the Pride Lands enough food for you?"

She sensed that he wasn't speaking in an accusing way, just because of his curiousity. Nala began speaking: "Well… we need your help. There has been a drought since the last two and a half years. A Great Drought. We have been forced to look for food in some unusual places."

Like Shimo, Bovu seemed confused that there was a drought. He hadn't felt any change in the Outlands, but that was probably because nothing could leave that barren place even more affected than it already was. So, Bovu said: "Well, I'm very sorry for your situation. But I don't see how I can help you."

"The drought is not the worst part." said Nala. "The main problem is that, now the Pride Lands are under Scar's rule… Scar is Mufasa's younger brother, and took over when him and Simba died…"

On that moment, the lioness stopped, knowing that she hadn't told Bovu the whole story. She began making an explanation about the detail of Simba's and Mufasa's deaths, but Bovu wasn't listening to her with too much attention, because he was busy with his own thoughts. For some moments, he felt a serious pain in his chest, reminding the sweet and brave cub that had saved Shimo, and the lion that had even allowed him to hunt in his kingdom, in spite of the risk that it implied for him and his pride. But the main part was another.

"So, the king of the Pride Lands is Ahadi's second son, eh?" thought the lion, keeping his calm posture, but with rage almost fiering inside him. "And he is being a tyrant… walking in his father's pawprints, it seems… oh, if I had known earlier that Simba and Mufasa were both dead, I would have gone to kill Scar before…"

Then, he returned to listening Nala properly.

"…And so, Simba and Mufasa died both on the stampede, and Scar took the throne." said the lioness.

She stopped for some moments to regain her breath, and then, she said: "He has invited a strange pride to live in our homeland… and he has a whole hyena clan to serve him…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" asked Bovu, almost shouting.

His amazement and anger were reaching the limits. A king who invited hyenas to live in his domain wasn't only a tyrant, was mad! But Bovu returned to his normal voice, when he said: "Nala… I don't see how I can help you…"

In fact, he was seeing a way to help her. It was going to the Pride Lands, challenging Scar to a duel and, after defeating him, he would be king. He probably wouldn't be as good as one of those legendary kings, but he surely would be better than a tyrant who invited hyenas to his homeland. However, he was sure that this wasn't the help that the lioness wanted.

Nala inhaled deeply, and said: "Well… we would need one lion to depose Scar… there are some in our pride… in both prides… but not even one dares to do it."

When Bovu heard Nala's words, he barely managed to control himself. One lioness from Scar's pride was asking him to get rid of Ahadi's son and tyrant?

"This couldn't be more perfect." thought Bovu. "I will at the same time avenge my father, and do a noble action by deposing a tyrant. Without counting that I will get a pride for me and Shimo, and avenge my mate by killing those hyenas!"

But he tempered his emotions, when he said: "Nala… I may help you and your pride. I can be that male. I will help you and your pride, and kill that tyrant. It will be simple. I only have to get close to him, challenge him to a duel in an official way, and then… goodbye, tyrant!"

"Really?" asked Shimo and Nala at the same time.

The lioness added, trying to temper her emotions: "Thank you!"

But, eventually, she stopped the temper on her emotions, and pounced on the lion, almost hugging him. Bovu threw Nala off him said: "Nala… now let's see… I will have to scout your land for a few days, to put my plan in practice… by the way… is your king married?"

Nala thought that it was a strange question, but she replied: "Yes, he has a mate. She loves him with all her heart, but I'm not sure if Scar retributes in an equal way…"

"That doesn't matter anyway." thought Bovu. "I have to break them apart, for that queen's sake. And I already have a plan."

But he only added aloud: "Nala, you should go back to your pride. Tell them that I will help them, but lookout, for neither the king, the strange pride, nor the hyenas to discover you."

Nala was almost jumping from joy. Finally, her pride's plan was going straight to safety, and to Scar's death. She obeyed Bovu without hesitation. She needed to get to her pride with the zebra before sunset. She got up, and said: "Bovu… thank you. I'm extremely grateful to you, and I'm sure that our pride will also be in due time."

"I knew you would help her, dad!" said Shimo, hugging his father.

"Of course I help her." said Bovu with decisive voice. "I couldn't refuse a call for help from someone desperate."

"Whatever are my second reasons, I'm really doing it to help this poor lioness and her pride." thought the lion.

"Thank you, once again." said Nala, preparing to pick up the zebra. But before going, she said: "When will I have news?"

"Don't try to find me." said Bovu. "It would be dangerous. But I can assure you, about four to five months from now, I will go there and solve the problem. I know it is much time… but it's also better. So, I just ask you and your pride, try to handle a little bit more."

Nala thought that four to five months was quite some time, but it was their only hope. It was unlikely that they found another rogue, and the probability of the other lion being brave enough to do the job was even smaller. Five months would probably be enough time for the drought to kill them all, but there were still some herds remaining on the Pride Lands, that would probably be enough for them to hang on.

So, the young lioness just thanked Bovu again, and prepared to leave the cave with the zebra, but then Bovu said: "Wait, my dear. I will carry the zebra for you, 'till we get to the other side of the river. Shimo, stay here and guard our zebra."

"Yes, dad." replied the blue-eyed lion.

Nala just couldn't help but to feel relieved. The effort of carrying the zebra across the Outalnds, and then get it through the river, would probably be too big for her to stand. Of course she would still have to carry it through the Pride Lands, but that wouldn't be hard, because she was already used to it.

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Nala arrived to Pride Rock when the sun was almost setting, with her zebra. That prey was welcomed by both prides and the hyena clan, because the normal hunt had been rather unsuccessful. Only one teenager wildebeest had been caught.

"Well done, my dear." said Moyo to his daughter. "Where have you caught such a big and fat zebra? In times like this, they are extremely rare."

"In the Outlands." replied Nala plainly.

"The Outlands?" asked Uzuri, amazed. "How can a zebra found on the Outlands be healthier than most of the zebras caught here?"

"I'm not sure." said Nala with casual voice. "But in spite of the Great Drought, the Outlands are exactly the same as they were when I went there as a cub. Even this disaster can't ruin them more."

"Well, it's good that you had the initiative to look for something in an usual place." said Scar. "It paid off. I should discipline you, for not obeying what I told, but because you brought this wonderful prey, I won't."

Scar began portioning the prey, in a way that each pride and clan member would get a portion enough for a light meal. Nobody got too much meat, but all got enough to survive one day more.

The king ate his piece of meat, and said: "I should give one to Zira and the cubs…"

"It's not necessary, sir." said Hanja. "I and Imani already took to her and to the cubs a piece of meat. Don't worry, they got it."

"Thank you, Hanja." said Scar, while the black-maned lion and his mate bowed.

In fact, he still wanted to see Zira and his young son, but he was feeling too tired. He had to sleep for some hours before going anywhere, but he had already promised himself that, early the next morning, he would make a short visit to his mate before dividing the duties between the prides and the clan. To see Zira, it wouldn't be exactly necessary to go the Cub's Sanctuary, because on the next day she would be replaced by Sifia, but to see Nuka it would be, and the king also wanted to see his younger son, to figure out how he was doing against the strange illness.

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Meanwhile, Scar's older son also seemed to have plans of his own. He went to his father, with an unusual shy expression.

"Hi, dad…" said Kisasian, shyly.

"Hi, son." said the king. "Do you need something?"

For the looks of the thing, Kisasian really wanted something, but he seemed to hesitate with his request. Scar was surprised with that, after all his son used to be way more direct.

But, after some time of hesitation, Kisasian finally asked: "Uh… dad… could I stay on the back ledge of Pride Rock tonight?"

"Why, son?" asked Scar, surprised. His son didn't sleep on that place eversince the day when they had finally reconciled, more than two years ago, thanks to Adia.

But he soon felt more relaxed, because Kisasian added, with even more hesitations: "Uh… I mean… stay there… with Adia… to sleep… sleep only, I swear!"

Scar finally understood the whole matter. He chuckled silently, before saying: "Yes, son, you can stay there with Adia, and have some privacy, eventhough I don't know why you need privacy to sleep."

The last part of his father's sentence made Kisasian to blush from shame, but he went to Adia, and said, with a big smile: "He let us. We can go there."

"Alright then." said Adia, licking Kisasian's cheek.

"Adia…" whispered Kisasian, taking a quick and nervous look around. "Not in front of Shani, please…"

"I don't see why you worry so much with her." said Adia, eventhough she wasn't feeling exactly jealous. "After all, she doesn't like us."

Kisasian also didn't know exactly why he was so worried about Shani. Maybe it was just some kind of respect to Simba, that had to be paid to his sister? Or did he love her still a little bit?

However, Kisasian stopped thinking about that, when he went to the ledge behind Pride Rock with Adia, to sleep. The king noticed that, and decided that probably it would be a good time for the others to rest as well.

"We should all get some rest." said Scar. "Tomorrow will be a hard day."

Almost nobody wasted any time in following the king's suggestion.

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However, Sarabi, Sarafina, Shani, and Nala made another thing. Managing to pick them up alone while the pieces of meat were being distributed, the young lioness said that she had a very important business to speak with them. Her mother and former queen didn't seem too convinced that an important business had appeared in such a short period, but they accepted her request.

After being sure that all the others were sleeping, the four lionesses carefully slipped out Pride Rock. They couldn't limit themselves to stay on the Eastern Side, because Kisasian and Adia were sleeping close to that place, and could hear them. So, they went further, to an open area, where would be impossible to anyone to come close and listen to them.

"Now, what is it, Nala?" asked Sarabi, when they already were close to the eastern border of the Pride Lands, far from the Desert Pride and the hyenas.

Nala looked around in an attempt to make sure that nobody was there to eaves-drop their talk, and only after she said, in a half-whisper: "I managed to find a rogue."

Sarabi and Sarafina almost shouted in unison: "WHAT?", but they managed to lower their voices on the last moment, fearful that someone would hear their talking.

"How have you done that?" asked Sarabi, lowering her voice to almost a whisper.

"It's very simple." said Nala. "I went hunting on the Outlands, and there I found Shimo, the son of a rogue that has lived there for at least four and a half years. I and Simba met both of them when we were cubs…"

"The crocodile-incident, right?" asked Sarafina, with a slightly angry voice.

"Yes." said Nala, slightly ashamed. But then, she added: "What it counts is that I went with Shimo to his home… a rather big termite mound… well, since now, I can tell you: he sure is strong! He told me that he alone took down a buffalo bigger than the one that I, you three, Kula, and Nuru took down together once!"

"He did what?" asked Shani, with her voice almost strangled from amazement.

"Yes." kept Nala. "He did it. And his father, Bovu, is even bigger and stronger… he is as big as Mr. Mufasa was… and he accepted to help us!"

"How?" asked Sarafina, amazed.

"It's very simple." said Nala. "I just spoke with him, exposed the problem, and he accepted!"

"Well, and who wouldn't?" asked Sarabi. "A pride is the highest prize that a rogue could want."

"I don't think it is only for a pride that he will help us." said Nala, and this time she spoke with more serious voice. "I noticed that something personal was behind his decisiveness in helping us."

Sarabi, Shani, and Sarafina seemed somewhat fearful, but Nala said: "Don't worry. I know both Bovu and Shimo well enough to know that they are good lions, and Bovu will probably be a good king… and Shimo also will be in the future, because it is likely that he becomes his father's successor…"

"Well, if he rules with The Circle of Life's rules, he will surely be better than Scar." said Sarabi. "Inviting hyenas to eat and steal us our food and water, and that dammed invading pride… the only problem is that Bovu will also become king of the Desert Pride… but if he rids off the hyenas, that will be good enough already. Those hyenas consume food that would feed a whole pride!"

"He will probably rid them off." said Nala. "The only problem is that his plan to kill Scar needs from four to five months to work, at least."

"Why?" asked Sarafina, confused. "The only thing he has to do is to come here, challenge Scar to a duel, and defeat him! If he's as powerful as you told me, he won't have any problem doing it!"

"But maybe we shoud actually wait." said Nala. "I can assure you: he will come. I swear: there seemed to be some deeply personal reason behind his will in helping us."

"I believe you." said Sarabi. "Now, we should just go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a hard day, like Scar told."

The four lionesses returned to the cave, silently hoping that, in spite of the time that Bovu's plan would take, that it would work, and that the lion would actually come to help them.

All of them were feeling rather tranquile, except Shani, who was thinking heavily during all the way back.

"I wonder what Kisasian will say of me when he discovers that I participated in the plot to kill his father." thought the violet-eyed lioness, unable to stop a wave of remorse. "Probably he will never forgive me…"

But then, she came with another thought: "But I'm not the one who needs to be forgiven! Mother is! I've done nothing wrong! I didn't participate in this plot... but I know about it, and if I don't do anything about it, Kisasian will hate me forever. But I must be loyal to mom… and mom forbade me to have any relation with Kisasian… but I love him! Oh… what shall I do?"

Shani was so busy thinking that she barely noticed that she had arrived to Pride Rock. Just before entering the cave, she turned hear to the sky, and made a silent plead: "Please… Great Kings of the Past… dad… bro… help me to make the right decision… whatever it is."

After that, she went to her sleeping place, and lied down, in spite of the certainty that her sleep would be very hard on that night.

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Unaware to the four lionesses – in fact, to all the adult Pridelanders - they weren't the only ones who were discontent with the most recent times of Scar's reign. Hyenas also were getting very unsatisfied with their king. Most of the clan was sleeping on that moment, but Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and Shundwa were discussing the current situation, and a way to come out of it.

"This can't keep like that!" said Banzai, with extremely loud voice, to (unsuccessfully) cover the sound of his stomach gurgling. "We have to get out of this mess! There's no food, no water, and Scar stubbornly refuses to leave this dammed place! Even the Outlands were better than here!"

Ed laughed in agreement.

"Possibly you're right." said Shundwa, who was talking rather wisely. "But just in case, remember one thing: if this clan wasn't under the protection of a pride, probably half of it would have succumbed to the Great Drought."

"But if we stay here, all the clan - and the whole pride - will die of hunger and thirst!" said Banzai, with even angrier voice.

"I talked with Scar about that." said Shenzi. "But he said – very stubbornly – that he won't lead us away from Pride Rock. He comes always with the same answer – that leaving will save the younger and healthier ones, but it will endanger the lives of the younger cubs."

"It's all because of his son!" said Banzai, rather angrily. "He is endangering our lives because of that thing Nuka, who probably won't even get out alive of this mess!"

Ed laughed again, waving his head saying: "I totally agree."

"We are talking about the prince." said Shundwa, rather hesitantly. "Besides… so far we didn't have any reason to complain. Not even a single hyena has died eversince the beginning of our living in the Pride Lands."

"Well, probably Ramuka and her small group died." said Shenzi, thoughtfully. "I don't think that a group of seven hyenas survives a dry season like this. And besides, during the repressions of minor revolts by Scar, some hyenas are killed."

"And there's another thing." said Banzai, seemingly angrier. "Scar doesn't treat lions and hyenas equally!"

Shundwa interrupted him, saying: "I believe that he treats lions and hyenas more equally than any other member of his kind."

"But I agree with Banzai on that one." said Shenzi. "He ordered us to take him all the meat proper for lions to eat, and what is left for us? The rotten meat! He only gives us rotten meat, because he thinks that we're rotten! And what about the good meat? All for the stomachs of the lions! And lion cubs? He takes his mate and cubs for the Cub's Sanctuary, where is plenty of water for them, and what about us? Hyenas have no "Cub's Sanctuary"!"

Ed laughed again, seemingly agreeing with all that Shenzi said, and this time even Shundwa said: "Well… you are right about that. But… what can we do?"

"There's only one solution left!" said Shenzi, with surprisingly decisive and deadly voice. "Mutiny!"

"Shenzi…" said Banzai, rather scared. "You do remember what happened the last time that we rebelled, right? You do remember that there were hyenas who were killed, and then the clan was punished, right?"

"Yes." said Shenzi, quivering slightly from fear. "But that's because we weren't decisive enough! If we act more decisively, we will succeed!"

Her voice seemed so decisive, that all the other hyenas listening to her felt relatively safe about the success of the rebellion. She finally said: "Now, we all must rest. Some days from now, we'll settle this!"

The four hyenas lied down right where they were. Without Scar knowing, two of his groups of subjects were ready to rebel against him.

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_Well, what did you think? Was this chapter acceptable? Please, review! I still need opinions!_


	50. Chapter 49: Dark intruder at a dark time

_Hello. Well, here it comes a new chapter... and problems are about to begin. Attention, please! This chapter contains some scenes that more sensitive readers could think about as hard to stand. I could tell you to pass them, but those scenes are important to the fanfic. However, be careful. I've warned you. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 49 – Dark intruder at a dark time**

Very far from imagining the problems and rebelions that she and her mate would have to face soon, Zira was spending a tranquile night in the Cub's Sanctuary, in spite of the fact that she was feeling rather lonely without her mate.

At her side, Nuka and the other two cubs were sleeping calmly. Her son and Hawaa were hugging each other, probably in an attempt to stay warmer during the cold night, but the lioness knew that the young prince had already found a good friend, in spite of the fact that Hawaa's mother greatly disapproved that friendship. Hawaa was a cub with grey fur and brown eyes. She was healthy, and maybe unusually big for a female cub. She had played some time with Nuka, and, much to Zira's please, she didn't share the mistrust of the Pridelanders towards the Golden Pride.

The actual worry of the old lioness during the whole day was Nuka. Her son's illness hadn't gotten any worst, but unfortunately he didn't seem to be getting better as well. He played a little bit with Yakta and a little bit more with Hawaa, but he still was very sick. Rafiki came to the Cub's Sanctuary almost everyday, giving the young prince some herbs, but Zira was afraid that Nuka wouldn't see the end of the Great Drought. The actual problem was that Nuka also couldn't become king, so it would have to be one of her next cubs. But she had followed Rafiki's advise of trying not to have cubs for a year after Nuka's birth. It only missed four months for the year to finish, and then, she could finally have more. Hopefully, one of her next would be able to rule.

However, an unexpected sound drove the lioness out of her sleep. She had very sharp senses, that only failed when she was actually tired. Fortunately, this wasn't one of those moments, and she could hear.

She got up quickly, yet silently, and her ears instantly flicked up, in an attempt to notice any unusual sound. But, when the queen got up, the three cubs, who had been sleeping supported on her side, rolled some centimetres, and it wasn't too long before they woke up.

"Wh… what happened?" asked Yakta with a yawn.

"Ssshh…" said Zira, whispering. "There is someone outside."

"Who, aunt Zira?" asked Hawaa with sleepy voice.

"Don't talk so loud!" said the Golden Lioness, now speaking so low that all the cubs were almost obligated to read her lips (what was actually difficult in the almost complete darkness of the cave. "There are intruders close…"

"I… intruders?" asked Hawaa, with her voice strangled by fear.

"Sssssh." said Zira, still talking very low. "You stay right in here and try not to make any noise. Keep yourselves away from the light. I'll try to draw out the intruder's attention. But you try to stay here, very still and quiet for not to be noticed. I'm sure that the intruder will come after me, so, you must stay well hidden. If, for some reason, it isn't only one, stay very still on the cave… or try to run away. But for now, just stay here, while I try to draw out the intruder's attention."

"But…" said Nuka, slightly scared. "What if he catches you?"

"He won't." said Zira, trying to apply all the possible certainess to her voice.

Then, she licked Nuka's forehead, before hugging Hawaa and Yakta, in an attempt to give them some comfort. After that, very hesitantly, she came out of the cave, trying to find the intruder. Her senses were all trying to discover the slightest signal of him.

"Strange." thought Zira. "I can't see any intruder at all… but I swear that I heard some sound…"

Once again, Zira looked for any kind of evidence that someone was there. Besides, she was feeling more and more nervous. She had thought to notice one intruder, but what if there were too many of them? How she would defend herself of them all? What would happen to the cubs? She knew that the Cub's Sanctuary wasn't suspicious… her whole pride would barely have enough space there. But… if they had been spying the cave for some time… they could know about the cubs… the thought of the cubs slaughtered by any kind of night intruder was so awful that she gulped in fear, and blocked it, unable to ponder it further. But then, she extended her claws, feeling ready to fight to her last breath, if there was any need of it. Most likely there would be, but, if the intruder was only one, the plan was to run away to Pride Rock, hoping that the intruder would follow her, and then get Scar and the pride and kill the intruder. If the intruder didn't follow her… the plan was fight to death.

But, just on the moment when Zira thought that the sound had only existed on her imagination, she felt some grains of sand falling on her body. They came from the entrance of the cave, or, better to say, someone had pushed them from the rock.

The lioness used again her senses at the fulllest, flicking her ears up. And then, she heard some breathing that wasn't hers. It was rather light, but enough for her to understand one thing: the stranger was on the Cub's Sanctuary. Or, maybe better to say, above it.

She looked backwards, and the sight of the nocturnal visitor almost made her to shout.

On the top of the rock, was one of the biggest lions that she had ever seen, being as big as Mufasa, Ahadi, or Hanja. The rogue was crouched, ready to pounce, with full-extended claws, whose sharpness made the queen even more scared. She couldn't see well his colours, but his mane was dark enough to match perfectly the night, and the fur wasn't exactly too different.

But then, Zira was forced to stop her look on the stranger, because the rogue – with a surprising speed for a heavy lion like him – pounced on her with outstretched paws and extended claws. The surprised lioness only managed to crouch on the last moment, while she felt her back being stabbed by the first attack, while eight wounds were made. Fortunately, the lion hadn't managed to slash her neck arteries.

But he didn't wait too much time to mend his mistake. Again with a superb agility, the lion turned back to Zira.

And then, the queen noticed one unusual thing. The rogue tried to put himself in a better position to attack, standing on his back paws, and opening his front paws in an attempt to maintain balance. It was rather hard to decide what kind of attack he would do in that position, but there was another problem – at least for him. In that position, he unshielded his neck. Zira's experienced eyes noticed it, and she didn't waste any time in using that advantage. Opening her jaws as wide as she could, she pounced on the lion with all her speed. She only had one chance, because the rogue wouldn't surely give her a second. She would most likely be killed before mending the mistake.

But, on the middle of the pounce, she understood that the one making a mistake had been herself, not the rogue. As if Zira's pounce was exactly what he hoped for, the lion tried to deliver a blow on Zira's head with his right front paw. The lioness was too fast for him, and he failed the head, but he managed to plunge his claws deep in Zira's side, making the lioness to roar in pain, just few milimetres before her mouth reaching the lion's throat.

Unfortunately, the first blow had actually stopped her deadly charge, making her to fall. Her paws had managed to get the lion's sides, so when she fell, her claws were pushed through the rogue's body, making eight cuts. Misteriously, the rogue's brain seemed to block the coming wave of pain, while his left paw mended the mistake. The desert lioness didn't even have time to think, before seeing the lion's huge paw going straight to her head. After that, she blacked out.

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After being back on four paws, Bovu looked at the knocked out lioness. For some seconds, he felt uncertainess, and even remorse. He didn't want to kill her, just knock her out, but she had reacted unexpectedly quickly and deadly. If he had been more hesitating, probably the lioness would just crush his neck. But still, Bovu bended down, and sniffed the lioness, touching her gently with his paw on the following moment.

"Whew!" thought Bovu, after finishing his investigation. "She's alive, and seemingly almost unharmed, except for those wounds and her future headache."

Now, he could focuse on what was actually important: scout that place, in an attempt to determine the strenght of the enemy. He had seen the cave, and eventhough it wasn't big enough for a pride to live there, it could be visited sometimes by one of the prides or the clan.

And then came another problem. Bovu wasn't sure about who exactly was the attacked lioness. Was she a friend, from Nala's pride, or a foe, from the tyrant's followers? Should he kill her, or let her live? Who knows, she could even be the tyrant's mate. If she was, he would be able to put his plan in motion sooner than he imagined. But if she wasn't, then problems would come.

After thinking for some moments, Bovu decided that the best would probably be to scout the area around the cave quickly and then leave before the lioness woke up and returned with reinforcements. He was sure that there weren't any reinforcements there, otherwise they would've come out and probably he would be forced to run away. The lioness was alone, almost certainly.

But there was another thing disturbing him. The lioness seemed familiar to him. Her long muzzle, dorsal stripe, and red eyes had something similiar to one of his best cubhood friends. But the only lioness he knew with that look was…

"Zira!" thought Bovu, suddenly feeling even more remorse for what he had done. "Zira… I'm sorry… I didn't recognize you… but looks like you didn't recognize me as well... that's natural, we've seen each other for the last time almost ten years ago… but are you really Zira? Zira should be on the Desert Lands, with her pride... why would she be here? Oh, what it cares. I just have to scout the area around this cave and then leave before something happens."

So, Bovu left the "supposed" Zira on her place, and looked at the ground, looking for any signs of life. After some careful examination, he noticed several tracks. From those, at least three different belonged to males, and two were almost as big as his own paw, the third being as big. Noticing the size of the pawprints, the black-maned lion couldn't help but to feel a little bit curious, and begin to ponder some questions.

"If there are at least three males in the pride that are so big, why not even one is brave enough to challenge the king?" thought Bovu, so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice Zira moaning in her unconsciousness. "Is the king so big and strong that they are afraid of a physical fight, or has he made any kind of threat that keeps every lion of the pride very obedient? Can the biggest of these males be the king himself?"

Another thought came to his mind, but that one seemed almost absurd: "Or are those males from the group of Scar's followers? If they are… why do they obey him? Any kind of threat? Thrist for power? If it is thirst for power, why they don't simply kill the king? Has he made any promise that he kept?"

Bovu scratched his mane, sighing, and then he said: "Oh, well, that doesn't care anyway. I now have a better idea about this land's population. I will just enter the cave to find if there are some more life signals, and if I fail in finding them, I go away."

So, the lion inhaled deeply, and entered the cave.

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Trying to compress themselves against the wall of the cave, Nuka, Hawaa and Yakta saw the biggest lion that they had ever seen entering the cave. If they were thinking rationally, probably they wouldn't think that the lion was so big – after all there was at least one lion with simmilar size on their pride. But – perhaps because they were too scared – the stranger looked actually a giant. They saw him, but he didn't see them. Eventhough lions have a superb night vision, that fails inside a cave. The three cubs could see the rogue's silhouette against the nocturnal sky, but he couldn't see them there.

"Where's Mommy?" whispered Nuka, very scared at the sight of the intruder.

"Nuka…" whispered Hawaa, very hesitantly, rebembering the sounds of the fight that he heard moments before.. "Do you think he…"

She didn't dare to say more. But Nuka seemed to understand it. He looked at Hawaa with very scared eyes, but he refused to believe that idea. His mother COULDN'T be dead.

"Shut up!" whispered Yakta to the two. "Or he'll notice us!"

However, the cubs forgot one thing. The lion couldn't see them, but it didn't mean that he couldn't feel their presence. After all, his other senses weren't affected at all by the darkness inside the cave. And he could distinctively smell three cubs. For some moments, he pondered what to do. He didn't know how to react with the young felines. If they were from the opressed pride, they would surely welcome him, but if they were from the tyrant's followers, he could be in big trouble, because they would surely tell about him to their parents.

"Oh… this is a hard decision." thought Bovu. "The only way of eliminating trouble would be kill them, but they are innocent! I can't do anything to innocent cubs! Unless they are the tyrant's children, and of Ahadi's bloodline. If they are… there's no mercy for them. But I'm not sure if they are of Ahadi's bloodline…"

Because the cubs had done nothing so far, Bovu decided to ignore them, mainly because he smelled another thing: water.

Walking towards the scent, he discovered that actually there was a small source there, enough to provide water to three lionesses and three cubs. He wasn't exactly thirsty, after all he had been careful enough to eat and drink as much as he could allow himself before leaving the Outlands. But anyway, he decided to try the taste of the water. He swallowed a single heavy drop, and concluded that the water was good and fresh. But, for the first time, one of the cubs finally expressed his thoughts about Bovu's presence on that cave – or at least about his actions.

"Excuse me, Mr." said Yakta, after hearing the sound. "That's our water."

Bovu was so surprised with the cub's intervention that he had no way of how to react. Normally, Yakta wouldn't have betrayed their presence, but that had been betrayed long before, like the sandy-furred cub noticed, so trying to solve the situation peacefully could be nothing but good. The young male to decided to continue: "That water is ours. You are an intruder - or a guest – in these lands, as far as I know you weren't given hospitality…"

"Shut up!" whispered Nuka and Hawaa at the same time.

But it wasn't necessary, because the blue-eyed male cub also understood the mistake, when the giant lion advanced to him with full-extended claws and a menacing expression. Bovu wouldn't kill innocent cubs, but nonetheless he would give them a good scare.

"Consider it a lesson of how trusting too much the others may cost you dear." thought Bovu ironically.

All the cubs were now actually scared at the giant rogue, seeing how he extended his claws, seemingly ready to kill them. Yakta was trying to sound as brave as he could, but the truth was that he got so scared that he couldn't even move. In an instinctive reflex, Hawaa hugged Nuka very tight.

It sounded rather paradoxal. As an eight weeks old cub, Hawaa was still smaller than Nuka, but surely healthier, and eventhough she had almost nule chances against the rogue… surely she would be able to defend herself better than the scrawny Nuka, too small and thin for his age.

But Nuka, even as the smallest cub, was also the bravest of them. And he seemed to want to fulfill his role of Hawaa's protector. He stood protectively between his friend and the huge lion, and said: "Hey, don't even try to touch her, or you'll have to face me, understand?"

Bovu couldn't help but to be amazed. If that cub – the weakest in the cave – was afraid, he wasn't showing it. By the contrast, his voice was so brave, that Hawaa instantly seemed to feel more relieved and even the rogue, surprised, stepped back before advancing more.

"Looks like this cub is braver than I assumed." thought the lion. "Let's see how far is bravery goes."

Bovu bended down and opened his jaws, pretending as realistically as he could that he could crush Nuka with a bite. Hawaa was about to cover her eyes, but something stopped her from doing it. If her friend looked behind, he shouldn't see her cowardly hiding his eyes. Yakta, in a vain attempt to do something to help, pounced on the lion, but, in the half-darkness of the cave, it wasn't easy to judge distance, so his head bumped on the rogue's side, and he fell, dizzy.

Bovu barely felt that one, but he felt perfectly when Nuka completely extended his claws and slashed his muzzle.

"Ouch!" said the lion.

Hawaa and Yakta were even more scared, sure that after being attacked by a cub, the lion would become even more violent and kill Nuka, but, much to their surprise, they just heard his voice chuckling, before saying: "Well done. This is at least a chance from the usual weeping."

He added, with a fakingly deadly voice: "I'll let you live… this time!"

Bovu turned to the entrance of the cave, but, much to his surprise, the lioness that he had hit was woken up. She still seemed half-dizzy, but, in spite of her trembling legs, she was standing.

"She's tough!" thought the lion. "I didn't think she would get up so soon."

"Aunt Zira!" said Hawaa, relieved.

With that voice, the lion had the confirmation to his doubts.

"Zira?" asked Bovu. "You're Zira?"

"Who are you?" asked the lioness, with surprised voice. "And… how do you know me?"

"But… don't you remember me?" asked Bovu, amazed, and slightly disappointed.

"Why should I?" asked Zira, slightly intrigued at the rogue's question.

"It's me, Bovu! Don't you remember me?"

She had to think and look at the lion for some seconds, because the cave was dark and she wasn't still completely aware, but then, she said, with rather joyful voice: "Bovu! Of course I remember! My, how you've grown… it's good to see you! But… why have you attacked me?"

"I'm sorry, Zira… I didn't recognize you…" said the lion with ashamed voice.

"It's alright…" said the lioness. But now that she thought of it, why had he attacked her? In the end, she decided: "Well, there will be time for questions later."

They hugged each other, but then Bovu asked, more seriously: "What are you doing here? From the last time I saw you, you were in the desert."

"I'll explain later." said the lioness. "For now I have to explain the situation to these cubs."

"They're all yours?" asked the lion.

"No, not all." said Zira, bringing Nuka close to her. "Only he is. Bovu, this is my son Nuka."

She turned to her son, and said: "Now, Nuka, say hello to Bovu, one of my cubhood friends."

"He already greeted me." said Bovu, rubbing the cuts on his muzzle. The small wounds weren't exactly painful, but reminded him of the cub's bravery. "Now, I'll go outside, because we have many things to talk about."

So, the lion went outside, while the lioness received questions from all the cubs.

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It took a while for Zira to assure all the cubs that what happened had been only a misunderstood, and that everything was alright. Nuka was the cub with more questions, but Zira said that it wasn't a proper moment for questons, he would be able to ask anything on the next morning.

When all the cubs fell asleep, Zira could finally go outside, and Bovu asked: "Now… what are you doing here? How did you come here?"

Zira thought that she should be the one to ask questions first, this was her kingdom, and Bovu, even being her cubhood friend, was still an intruder. Or, better to say, he was half-way between intruder and guest, and considering that she had to show a good education with guests, she replied: "Well… I went away from home when I was a cub… some unexpected events lead me away, about two weeks after you left with your parents. I came to the Pride Lands… they took me in, and now I am queen of this place."

"Gee, that's g…" began to say Bovu, but then, he shouted: "WHAT? You're the queen?"

"Yes." said Zira, beginning to get slightly fearful. After all, Bovu had missed the last nine and a half years of her life, he would probably have a lot of questions to make, and some of those could be disturbing. In an attempt to hide her fear, she turned her back to Bovu.

But the lion was barely aware of what she was doing, focused on his thoughts.

"So you're the queen?" thought the lion. "If you are the queen, you are the tyrant's mate! And Nala said that the queen loved the king with all her heart!... The queen! Then Nuka… is of Ahadi's bloodline! I had an Ahadi's descendent between my jaws, and let him slip away like grains of sand! Well… Zira, if you are the queen… then I have to carry out the plan. I'm sorry, Zira… this will be more painful to me than to you."

Now, Bovu finally noticed that Zira had her back turned to him. It was rather coward to attack by behind… but it was also the best way to do what he wanted hurting his friend the least possible. With a light sadness on his face, Bovu pounced on Zira.

The lioness was so surprised that she didn't even react at her supposed friend landing heavily on her, placing one paw with full extended claws on her neck, and immobilizing her with his full mass, while his other paw opened four new wounds on her side.

"Get off me!" she said, with strangled voice, because with Bovu pressing his paw on her neck she couldn't scream. "Get off! What do you want?"

Bovu bended down his head to Zira's ear – but being careful enough for not to relax his grasp on her - and then he said: "Simple. I want you to have a cub with me."

The answer surprised Zira so much that she barely replied for the following seconds, and a freezing silence came while her brain seemed to analyze the sound that she had heard more than once, to make sure that she had heard what she thought. When it finally ended, Zira asked, with huge disbelief in her voice: "Are you insane?"

"No, I'm not insane." replied the lion, holding Zira firmly.

He wasn't insane at all. That plan was the only one that he actually remembered to split the queen and Scar apart. Whether Scar loved her or not, when the cub would be born, he would surely be angry if she had a cub that it wasn't from him, and drive her out. Then, he would have to jump in and challenge the king, for his cub's sake. It made him worried that he could endanger his cub's life… but it was the only solution. That was why Bovu spent some hours considering if that was actually a good plan. The idea of endangering one of his cubs was almost unbearable for him.

But, because it seemed the only solution, he had to advance with it. He only prayed that nothing serious would happen to his cub in the middle of the tyrant.

Zira was very surprised, because, even hearing with all her carefulness, she couldn't detect any madness on Bovu's voice. She only noticed anger, and hatred, Whatever, it wasn't important. She would never mate with him.

She tried to look around, trying to analyze her chances of getting rid of it. On that position, she couldn't fight, because the lion was much heavier than her, and was using his full mass to keep her trapped. She was also tired, because the lion's second attack had made new wounds on her. Those wounds were bleeding badly. Not so badly that she would die, but badly enough to leave her too tired for an efficient defence. Bovu had one paw on her neck, leaving her almost strangled, so she couldn't shout for help. But maybe it was better like that. If she shouted, nobody would hear her, except the three cubs on the Cub's Sanctuary, who would wake up, and then see her on that situation… her heart froze when she thought of her son - also the other two cubs, but mainly her son – seeing her like that. It would surely leave him with a permanent trauma. But that didn't mind. She wouldn't mate with him. She wouldn't betray Scar.

"I will never mate with you, understand?" tried to shout Zira (and would have shouted if not for Bovu pressing her neck). "I love Scar! I am loyal to him! I will never have a cub with you!"

In fact, it was irrelevant, because on that position, Zira couldn't fight, and Bovu could force her. But she was trying to appeal to his reason, hoping that he wouldn't do it. But Bovu said, with a voice surprisingly full of anger: "Either that, or I kill you."

"Then kill me!" shouted Zira. "I would rather die than betray my mate!"

Bovu thought that Zira, after all, hadn't changed at all since they were cubs. She was still stubborn. But he knew that she would accept, after his last threat: "But when you are dead, nothing will stop me from killing your son."

Zira's heart froze. For some moments, she was completely paralyzed, unable to move, or even speak. This couldn't be the kind Bovu from her cubhood. He had changed too much in nine and a half years. She only managed to whisper, with panicked voice: "You wouldn't kill him… he's an innocent cub…"

"Of Ahadi's bloodline." growled Bovu, with so much hatred that Zira froze again. "As long as I breathe, I'll do anything in my power to wipe out Ahadi's bloodline."

That short sentence made things more obvious for Zira. Bovu had some grudge against Ahadi, and was avenging on the dead king's descendants. Then... Nuka wasn't the only one in danger! Kisasian was in danger! And – Zira's heart froze again when she thought about that – Scar was in danger! She didn't know what to do. She was completely immobilized, and if she refused, the lion would kill her, and then nobody would stop him of killing Nuka. The only solution was to accept and let Bovu to mate with her. Then – hoping that he would go away – she would have to do something. For the moment… she had to accept. There was no other solution.

"I accept." said Zira, with extremely disgusted voice.

"I knew you would act reasonably." said Bovu, with his voice full of poisonous irony.

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After some minutes – that seemed like hours for Zira – Bovu finally released her. He said: "Now I go away. But I'll return when my cub is born. Your mate and his cubs will have three months more of life. You should thank me."

He was trying to sound as hateful as he could, but actually he was on the edge of bursting in tears and apologize Zira for what he had done. He thought: "I'm sorry, Zira! There was no other way… I'm sorry. Your tyrant must have opressed you… when I release you from him, you'll even thank me!"

And then, before his sadness and remorse got too big for him to repress, Bovu ran away towards the Outlands at full speed, ready to return in about three months and a half. He had no actual guarantee that the first attempt would be enough for the queen to have his cub, but he trusted in luck. And… something in his intuition was telling him that his cubs would be born on that attempt.

Zira was still outside the Cub's Sanctuary, lied down, and crying from pain. The physical pain was big, but the psycological pain was even greater.

"I've betrayed Scar!" thought the lioness, while covering her eyes, in an attempt to get her tears back. "I wasn't loyal to him! I'm a monster… Scar will kill me… after all what he's done for me, I betray him… I'm… worthless…"

Zira passed the whole night crying from pain, unable to believe what she'd done, and very scared about Bovu's eventual return.

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_Well... what did you think? I know that probably some of you are shocked... but sorry, it was necessary. Nevertheless, please, review! I still need opinions!_


	51. Chapter 50: Discontent subjects

_Hello. Well, after the last (potentially troubling and disturbing, I admit) chapter, here it comes another one... still with things becoming more and more complicated, I would say. Whatever... I hope that you readers enjoy. _

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**Chapter 50 – Discontent subjects**

Like he had promised himself, Scar left to the Cub's Sanctuary at sunrise. He had already distributed the tasks by the two prides, and running he managed to get there in rather short time. He could have waited some time, but he was too anxious to see his mate and cub. Sifia had followed him, because now it was her turn to take care of the cubs, but she couldn't walk aside the anxious king, who quickly left her way behind.

It was rather dangerous to run under intense sun, but the king managed to arrive on the Cub's Sanctuary before the Sun was too high in the sky, so he didn't get sunstroke. However, when he got on his destination, he wished that he got, because in that case the vision that he had in front of him would be a product of his imagination.

His mate was lying outside the cave, completely covered in serious wounds and – what was even worst – those cuts were caused by lion claws. However, not less serious was her psychological state – Zira should have been crying during all the night, at least, because her face was covered in marks of tears, as well as her paws, that she had probably used to cover her eyes while crying, maybe in an attempt to repress the tears.

Scar approached very slowly, and whispered, almost fearfully: "Zira?..."

She looked at him, but, instead of greeting him with a lick on his cheek, like he expected (and according to their routine), she just turned away from him, covering her eyes with her paws, and sobbed something that seemed like: "Go away."

"Zira…" said Scar even more fearfully. "Are you alright?"

"Go away." sobbed Zira, without looking at him.

"«Go away»?" thought Scar, even more intrigued.

During the whole period when they had met each other, the words that Scar never heard from his mate's mouth (at least directed to him) were "go away". Something very serious had to happen, for Zira to be like that. Surely just the attack of a strange lion wouldn't be enough for she tell him to go away – it would probably even bring her closer to him, in search for protection. But Scar, determined to know what had happened, came closer to his mate, and grabbed her face in his paws, forcing her to look in his eyes. She did it, in spite of having two fountains of tears sliding down her face.

"Zira…" said Scar, with the most gentle, worried and at the same time decisive voice that he could have. "What happened? Tell me."

The lioness began crying even more. If she told her mate what happened, he would surely drive her out, but she remembered that her mate had never told him any lie, and it would be only fair if she did the same to him. So, Zira gulped, trying to hold back some tears, before speaking, with sobbing voice, making many breaks: "Yesterday, a rogue lion appeared here at night. He forced me… to mate with him…" Scar gasped when he heard the last part of the sentence, but he became even more surprised when Zira said the rest: "He said… that he would kill me and Nuka if I didn't accept!"

"He what?" asked Scar, with his voice having so much anger added to the amazement of the original gasp that Zira froze.

Scar would have shouted that, but he was so surprised that his voice came out almost strangled. Good for him, it was the conclusion, when the king thought later about the business. If he had shouted that, probably he would have awaked the cubs, and the situation was already complicated enough without having inquisite cubs asking a lot of embarassing questions hard to avoid. For the moment, it wasn't necessary to bother them.

Scar hugged Zira very tight, and said: "It had to be worst that hell… what that brute did to you is beyond forgiveness! But… he ran away, don't worry, he'll never return."

"He will." said the queen, with scared voice.

After seeing the amazed look that her mate gave her, she added: "When I tried to tell him that Nuka was an innocent cub, he said that Nuka was from Ahadi's bloodline and that he'll do everything he can to wipe out Ahadi's bloodline… I left to escape that you were my mate, and Nuka was my son… I'm sorry, Scar! I'm a failure… I'm unworthy…"

"You couldn't guess." said Scar, hugging Zira to calm her down. He added, trying to assure her: "Zira, you aren't a failure. You are the best mate and mother in this world. You just had no other choice than to accept. If you didn't accept, he would've killed you, and for me that would be ten times worst than seeing you mating with another lion."

Zira didn't reply, but the fact that she nestled in Scar's mane somehow spoke for her. Feeling his mate's relief, Scar smiled, and during some time both of them cried, but this time it were tears of joy and relief. Finally, after some time, both of them stopped and wiped off their years.

Only then, Scar asked, with more serious voice: "You said that he would do anything to wipe out my father's bloodline… but how are you sure that he will return?"

"He said that he would return when his cubs are born!" said Zira, crying again. "But I don't want to have cubs from him! I don't want to be pregnant of that monster!"

On the last word, her voice broke, and she hugged Scar again. The king decided that it was a good signal that she wasn't running away from him, so he said with serious voice: "Zira, I'm not sure why that rogue thinks that you are pregnant. But you may believe me in this: if you actually are pregnant, the cubs will be completely innocent. They will surely be wonderful cubs, with you being their mother, it doesn't matter the fact that they are result of this terrible action. Now, here's what we'll do: we will return to Pride Rock with the cubs and with you. Staying here would be too dangerous with that rogue around here. We'll go back to Pride Rock right now."

Zira gladly agreed with her mate.

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Sifia arrived there shortly after Scar and Zira finished their talking. Like the king, she also got shocked at the sight of her queen and friend seriously injured, and even more when she knew of what else the rogue had done to her. At first Scar and Zira had thought of keeping it a secret, but it was just impossible, because the queen's wounds were too obvious.

Sifia helped Zira climbing on Scar's back, because she was too injured and tired to walk on her own, and then she went to wake up the three cubs, placing them on her back. Surprisingly enough, the cubs didn't ask any embarassing questions. Sifia was smart enough to hide it all from the cubs, and Zira whispered to Scar that they were sleeping on the most traumatizing moment, but before they had noticed the fight with the rogue. Of course, the cubs were still worried, but they didn't seem exactly surprised. They spent the way back to Pride Rock in silence.

When they arrived, Scar noticed that Sarabi, Sarafina, Nala, Shani and Tojo were waiting for him. Tojo's birds were also on their friend's back.

"Scar, we need to talk." said Sarabi, without any formal address, and seemingly unworried with Zira.

"Wait just a moment." said Scar, without caring for hiding his anger at Sarabi's sudden attitude. "I'll just…"

"I said that we need to talk now!" said Sarabi impatiently.

"And I told you to wait a moment!" said Scar, in such a menacing way that Sarabi was forced to restrain herself from doing anything other than waiting.

Scar lead Zira to their chamber, and placed her on the ground. Now, the most important was to tell someone to come and heal Zira's wounds. Someone who would be very good in healing Zira's wounds would be Rafiki, but Scar's relationships with the mandrill was not the best, and that was one reason for the mandrill not to be ideal. So, he decided that Dhalimu would be the ideal choice. The whitefurred lion was not the actual shaman here, but he knew a lot about medicine, and in fact, Golden Ones prefered to be healed by him than by Rafiki. But Zira's uncle was not in the cave. Scar assumed that he should be supporting in hunt (what was unusual, but not unique), or wandering around the Pride Lands (what was more likely). Scar was getting ready to order Zazu to call Dhalimu, but the hornbill, for some reason, wasn't there, so Scar decided that one of Tojo's birds would be the best choice.

So, he went outside, to find out that the four lionesses and the lion were still waiting for him.

"Scar, we must talk." said Sarabi again.

"Wait just a little bit more." said the king. Then, he turned to the lion, and said: "Tojo, please order to one of your birds to call Dhalimu here, for him to heal Zira's wounds."

Scar could have ordered it himself, if not for one strange - and at the same time boring - thing: the birds didn't obey anyone except Tojo, no matter what happened. Eventhough somewhat hesitantly, Tojo turned to one the six birds on his back, and said: "Jicho, you can go to call Dhalimu. You know the way, right?"

Jicho seemed rather hesitant. It was a rather known fact that Tojo's birds were naturally mistrustful of strange lions, but, for some reason, Dhalimu particularly scared them. Dhalimu also seemed to think that the birds would be potentially tasty… but he hadn't yet tried to eat any of them. In spite the fact that he had been a rogue for his youth, he always knew how to behave properly. So, Jicho nodded, and took off from Tojo's back, looking for the whitefurred lion. Finally, Scar turned to Sarabi, making a big effort to hide his lack of patience towards the former queen, but it was being difficult. Especially because she began the talking with a rather harsh theme.

"Scar, we can no longer feed the Golden Pride." said Sarabi with impatient voice again.

"They are feeding themselves." said Scar, unwillingly extending his claws even more. "Maybe they aren't hunting with you, but they are scouting for your preys every day, and earning them…"

Before the king could finish what he was saying, Sarabi insisted, with rather angry voice: "They are doing nothing useful! All those strange plans of scouting and join lion-hyena huntings are useless!"

Scar stopped for some moments, trying to plunge his claws in the ground – because he couldn't to the same to Sarabi's neck - and then he turned to Tojo, hoping to have some support at least from him.

"And you, my boy, what do you think of it?" asked the king with hopeful voice.

For Scar, it was a very serious blow when Tojo replied with calm voice: "They're doing nothing useful."

On that moment, Zazu flew into the cave, going to Scar, just when he said: "Tojo, we must look for new waterholes and prey-herds! No one is better in that than the Golden Pride!"

"Sire!" yelled Zazu. "Hyenas are very restless today!"

"Lions are as well!" said Scar with angry voice. He turned to Sarabi, and said: "Stop! We will maintain our alliance with the Golden Pride and we will survive!"

"You endanger this land, and this pride!" said Sarabi. "Mufasa would never…"

"Mufasa is dead!" said Scar. "I'm the king!"

"Sir…" insisted Zazu. "Hyenas…"

What happened next was so fast and surprising at the same time that no one could even react. Scar grabbed the hornbill in a quick move, dragged him to the cave, and – making use of some bones of a long-eaten prey and a stone – trapped the bird in some kind of cage.

"Stay here or I'll give you to the hyenas for dinner!" said Scar to Zazu.

"Yes, sir." said Zazu with shivering voice.

The five birds on Tojo's back gulped at that sight, probably fearing that one of them would be the next, but then Scar returned to Sarabi, and then, this time, Sarafina was the one to insist:

"Mufasa would never put us in danger like that!"

"Neither Simba would!" added Nala.

Scar ignored the mention of his nephew's name, not even bothering to reply to Nala, but he turned to Sarafina, and said: "Of course Mufasa would never put us in danger like that, because you'd all be dead if he still ruled!"

"No, we wouldn't, because we would have already left this hell to a better land!" said Sarafina.

"And at least he ruled with the Circle of Life's rules!" said Sarabi.

So far, Shani was the only one quiet since the beginning of the talking. After all, she didn't recall even a second of the rule of her deceased father. But she also seemed uncertain, like if she was facing a dillema. But then, Scar said: "The Circle of Life has no jurisdiction here! Mufasa also hasn't! Only I have!"

Sarabi insisted: "Mufasa…"

But Scar interrupted her with angry voice: "Silence! From now on, you are forbidden to say this name again!"

The four lionesses and the lion bowed their heads, both in obedience and fear. Then, the king asked with breaking voice: "Why? I need you so much in this hard time… and you are turning your backs on me…"

"We would never…" began Tojo, but when he saw Scar's eyes full of anger and repproach, he said instead: "Right, sir. We shall leave."

The lionesses and the lion immediately turned their backs on Scar, but Sarabi added silently to Sarafina: "Yes. On this night, we shall tell the others about this talking, and I'm sure that they'll think exactly the same that we think."

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On that night, the mood on Pride Rock wasn't very good. Like it was rather expected, both prides got very worried with the rogue-incident. Arista, Sparthi, Uzuri, and Kira got very worried about Zira. Kisasian and Nuka were also worried about their mother, but overall, they all got relieved when Dhalimu said that Zira's wounds weren't fatal, and, as long as they didn't infect, she would recover completely, maybe even without scars. Some plants that he knew well would be efficient in preventing the infection. Or, maybe better to say, without physical scars, because - according to the whitefurred lion - the psychological scars would probably stay in her mind forever. But, against that, Dhalimu could do nothing. Scar already thanked him enough for healing his mate's wounds – eventhough he felt a little bit annoyed for not beign able to eliminate Zira's trauma - but then it came another problem. He asked to Dhalimu if his mate was actually pregnant. The old rogue only replied that he would have to return two days after, because it was still to early to know.

But there were more problems coming. Kilia, whose daughter was on the Cub's Sanctuary on that moment, placed the entire fault on Scar and Zira, for not having predicted that a rogue could appear, and made a decision that nobody could undo. Even if the rogue problem would be solved, Hawaa would never return to the Cub's Sanctuary. She would always stay on Pride Rock, where she was safe. Uzuri tried to convince her that Hawaa would have more water on the Cub's Sanctuary, but nobody was able to make Kilia to decide another thing. Surprisingly enough, even Kula agreed with Kilia's decision.

Shakisa, on the other paw, was also worried about Zira, but she decided to ask to Scar if they would actually keep using the Cub's Sanctuary, with the rogue around. Scar had thought about this question very seriously. If the rogue wouldn't actually return in the next three to four months, at least, they wouldn't have to worry about him. But he wasn't the only rogue wandering in the dry savannah, and, eventhough Scar knew that not all the rogues could be that aggressive and mad, some of them could be even more than the one that attacked her mate. At least, that rogue ended up sparing Zira, while some others could have killed her. So, Scar had decided that he would form a small group to patrol the border, in an attempt to assure that the rogue wouldn't come in. The best would be to place one of the prides, but most of the lions and lionesses were necessary to keep hunting. And as for the hyenas, most of them were also helping in the hunt, and he always had to keep a reservation, because if he used everyone at once, it would give bad results.

Eventually, he selected Hanja, Imani, Sifia, and Adia to patrol the border, and tell him if they found the rogue, whose description he gave. The other members of both prides would be divided between the hunt and protecting Pride Rock, where Zira, Shakisa and Kilia stayed with their respective cubs.

He told about that exact plan on the very same night. Kisasian and Adia were a little bit angry that they were separated, but the king said that an efficient patrol needed to have four members at least. Those members also had to work well together, and Hanja and Kisasian didn't get along too well. They didn't discuss, or even fought, but it was rather obvious that the dark-brown lion held some resentment towards the king's oldest son for – at least in his words - taking his little daughter away from him. Imani had tried to insist with her mate that Adia was old enough to know what she wanted to do, but Hanja just didn't seem to accept that.

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Another thing that seemed unaccepted, or at least hard to understand, was the action of the misterious rogue lion, at least to Sarabi and her pride. When they knew of what happened, they had a short talk, in which Sarabi came to know that the whole pride, with the possible exceptions of Sakia, Uzuri and Mega, agreed that Scar favourited his mate's pride, and something had to be done. Most of the pride had gone to sleep, but Sarabi, Sarafina, Shani and Nala looked for a good meeting place, close to the Eastern Border, in an attempt to discuss their current problem.

"I think that we have a serious problem now." said Sarabi to her daughter and friends. "I mean… that story of Zira being attacked by a lion who came from the Outlands… could that be Bovu?"

"I just don't see why he would attack Zira." said Sarafina, rather confused.

"It would be a favour to us all." said Nala. "But I now remember one thing. He asked me if Scar had a mate."

"Then, he possibly did that in an attempt to break Scar and Zira apart." said Shani.

The other three lionesses thought that it was the only possible explanation, but they didn't exactly agree.

"If he was the one, he could simply have turned in, killed Zira, and then challenged Scar!" said Sarabi, rather angry.

"But… the desert pride would kill him! How can we know that he will be able to arrive to Scar, now that I think of it?" asked Sarafina.

"We don't have to worry about that." said Nala. "At least, I think we don't have to worry. Bovu is smart, he'll surely figure out some way of doing it."

As a matter of fact, Sarabi and the others weren't too convinced of that, but they didn't say it. Now, Bovu was their only hope. When he defeated Scar, probably he would get rid of the hyenas, and then they would be able to leave that land, looking for a better place. They just hoped that he wouldn't become a tyrant… but Nala had told them that Bovu was a kind and gentle lion, at least from what she had known, so he probably wouldn't be a tyrant.

The meeting went on for some more time, but, because the lionesses actually couldn't come to a very good conclusion about what to do next, they just returned to Pride Rock, eventhough not everyone were with a tranquile mind. Shani was still very fearful about what she could do.

"Kisasian will kill me if I knows that I participated in this plot to kill his father and did nothing!" thought Shani. "But mommy will get angry at me if I tell it to Kisasian! What can I do? Why can't I solve this without hurting anyone."

Unfortunately, like Shani already had discovered, whatever the solution was, she couldn't apply it without hurting someone very special to her.

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There was also someone else, planning to hurt someone. But physically, not psychologically.

Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and Shundwa were sitting on the western side of Pride Rock, trying to plan their rebellion in the best possible way, to make sure that it wouldn't fail. They had already tried to convince Scar of their problems, but he was too worried with his mate to hear them.

"The plan is this." said Shenzi. "We will go with the whole clan to try, one last time, talk to him and get some sense into his head. But if he insists in being stubborn, we will have to use strength! If we stay here, we most certainly die! But he stays here! It almost seems he wants to die!"

"Probably it's only because of his son." said Shundwa.

"That's not the point." said Shenzi. "We will give him a choice: to leave by his free will, or to be forced. It rather pains me to raise my paw against him… but he's being selfish! He's risking plenty of lives, including his own!"

"Man, I'm hungry!" said Banzai, while his stomach gurgled. Ed just laughed in agreement, while Banzai added. "I want to get out of this place where there is no food!"

"Alright." said Shenzi. "I'm sure that the whole clan will agree with me in this point. We must leave! He used to be a good king, but Zira and that dammed desert pride have fooled him!"

The four hyenas lied down shortly after. It would be hard for Scar to keep his kingdom.

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_What did you think? Please, review! I still need opinions!_


	52. Chapter 51: The future king

_Edit: Sorry... but I initially forgot to put here another time measure. I'll put it now, just to make things more clear for you. Well... 5 months have passed since Hawaa's birth, 11 months have passed since Nuka's birth, 29 months have passed since the arrival of the Golden Pride to the Pride Lands, 35 months have passed since the beginning of the Great Drought, 47 months have passed since Shani's birth, 51 months have passed since Mufasa's death, and 59 months have passed since Simba's and Nala's births. Sorry for forgetting to put this before. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 51 – The future king**

Time kept passing on the Pride Lands. A rather dry time, to say so, because, eventhough the Great Drought had already lasted for almost three years, it didn't show any sign of finishing yet, which gave Scar some problems with keeping the Pride Lands working well enough. In the end, Scar was forced to divide the Golden Pride in half. One of the halves would be divided in three teams, in an attempt to look for new prey herds and water sources. The other half would have to patrol the borders, in an attempt to discover the rogue, or any kind of signal from him, because it was almost impossible for a single lion to discover the intruding rogue. Scar had many times considered to reinforce the patrolling team of the Golden Pride with Pridelanders and hyenas, but there were two problems with that.

The first was that he needed to keep the Pridelanders and the hyenas close to keep hunting for all the remaining preys. Once again, most of the Pridelanders had complained that Scar was making them to work like slaves while the Golden Pride was doing nothing, but the king, honestly speaking, was beginning to lose the patience with his subjects. If not for the support of Sakia, Uzuri and Mega, the only Pridelanders truly loyal to him – at least according to his thoughts – and also for the support of his mate, he would probably have lost his patience, and punished the Pridelanders even harder than he had punished the hyenas.

Because that was the second problem with not reinforcing the Golden Pride patrol with Pridelanders and hyenas. Most of the Pridelanders didn't care at all about Zira's or his' problems, so they wouldn't probably bother to look for the rogue even if they saw him. As for the hyenas, Scar came to discover that the clan only cared with their stomachs, and keeping their appetites satisfied. They, lead by Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and Shundwa (Scar was almost sick at discovering that even their confident and faithful triplets were rebelling), had tried several plots of mutinies, and if not for the decisive help of all the members of the Golden Pride, Scar would be unable to repress the mutiny of his scavengers.

But, in spite of all the problems that Scar faced, his biggest problem was now his mate. Her biggest fear was made reality, and she got pregnant. Just that fact in itself was not a problem, but she was pregnant not from Scar, but from the rogue. If not for the support from her mate and pride, she would probably have gone crazy with fear. Fear that the brute rogue would return and kill her mate. But that wasn't the only problem with her pregnancy. Well, maybe it was the only psychological problem, but there were the physical problems. Zira felt that this time she wasn't pregnant with only one cub, but with two cubs. The result was that bearing these cubs was being extremely painful for the lioness, and the worst part was that neither Dhalimu nor Rafiki couldn't do something to improve the queen's condition, other than giving her some herbs to calm down the pain. Scar had tried to ask to both to Dhalimu and to Rafiki if his mate would survive the birth of her third litter of cubs, but neither of them knew an answer. The whitefurred lion only admitted that he didn't know, and apologized for not giving a more detailed answer, while the mandrill only replied: "Trust in the stars, my king."

In the middle of so much worries, the only things making Scar happy were the fact of his son being still happy with Adia, in spite of the little time that they could pass together, and his son Nuka. Finally, after a slightly bigger number of Rafiki's herbs, his illness was completely cured, and he was no longer under risk of dying. Or, maybe better to say, to die from that illness, because both prides and the clan were still under the death-risk, because of the extremely hard dry season. Sometimes, in the luckiest days, some coulds were seen over the area, but nothing more than that.

But, eventually, three months after Zira's fight with the rogue on the Cub's Sanctuary, the birth of her third litter began. But, this time, there were some different things involved in the process. Both the prides were there, like usually, and Rafiki was already there with his usual fruit prepared. All the males waited outside. All, except one.

This time, Scar was at her side, hugging her and whispering to her words of comfort. Zira accepted that gladly.

But, after some time, something became obvious. After her first push, Zira was already roaring in pain, saying that the birth was being excruciatingly painful, something she had never told in previous scenes. She tried to push the cub further much more times, but there was another problem. Each time that she pushed, an overwhelming pain took over her. Eventually, Rafiki was forced to give the fruit to Zira, like usually. She knew what had to be done.

"Now, push!" said Scar, hugging Zira gently. "Push!"

Trying to supress the wave of pain, the lioness pushed with all her might. And this time, it happened. A cub was finally pushed out of her. She would have sighed with relief, but there was still another cub to come. Rama grabbed the first cub and placed it at Zira's side, while the lioness was trying to push the second one further. But nothing happened.

"Scar…" said Zira, with tears of both pain and sadness coming to her eyes. "I can't... push…"

"You can, Zira." said Scar, trying to calm her down, and hugging her even tighter. "Now, push!"

Somehow, she again gained enough energy to push the second cub further. And, much to her relief, it came out. Releasing Zira for some time, Scar picked the second cub up and held it in his paws. With a final push after that one, the whole birth process was over. She lied down, ready to rest after her heavy effort. Taraja and Uzuri gave her a gourd with water and a piece of meat, but she was still feeling too tired to eat. While she recovered, she decided to take a good look at her cubs. And she felt one thing. Now that the cubs were born, it didn't care that their father was – at least in her vision – a heartless monster. She felt that she loved those cubs with all her heart. But there was still the problem about Scar's reaction. To gain some time, she looked at the firstborn cub of this litter, the one that was at her side, already drinking her milk.

This cub was a female, and she looked healthy and strong. Zira didn't know what to think, because she hadn't been waiting for a daughter. Not that she was sexist, but because her two first cubs were both males, she was surprised. This cub had a headtuft, and sandy fur, lighter than her mother's fur. She still had her eyes half-closed, so it was slightly hard to determine the colour, but they seemed blue, just like Sparthi's and Arista's eyes.

Zira looked at her daughter for some time, and only then she, reminding the second cub of that litter, looked to Scar's paws, where it was.

This cub was a male, also looking healthy and strong. He had brown fur, and a black head-tuft, that in the future would become a black mane. His eyes seemed jade-green, eventhough it was hard to determine their colour. But then, she noticed the way how Scar was looking at the cub. He was looking at him in such a gentle and kind way… like if the cub was his son. Zira smiled at that picture, but then she bended forward to pick up the cub. The young male was sleeping like an angel, but, when Zira placed him at her side, he started drinking her milk.

"They're so beautiful..." whispered Zira with tired voice.

"What else would be expected from the beautiful lioness that you are?" asked Scar, licking her face. "But I agree with you. They are both wonderful. This little girl, and the boy."

Scar stroked affectionately the female cub, who nestled against his paw, and then, he slowly rubbed the head of the male cub, who slowly rubbed his head against his pawpad.

The lionesses left the cave, feeling that the royal couple needed some privacy. But Rafiki stayed there for some more time, to give to Zira and Scar a very important new. Important, but sad.

"My lady…" he said, very hesitantly.

"Yes, Rafiki?" asked the lioness.

"Well… this birth was too difficult for you." said the mandrill, still hesitantly.

"What do you mean with 'too difficult'?" asked the queen, confused.

"I mean…" said the shaman. "That you will never be able to have cubs again. The pregnancy and birth of these cubs was so hard that you'll never be able to have a cub again. Not just about the birth, the pregnancy wouldn't even begin."

The lioness just couldn't help but to feel a little bit sad at Rafiki's words, but Scar, eventhough he felt the same, also thought that it had a bright side.

"At least, the risk of Zira dying from the birth of another cub is completely eliminated now." he thought. "It's a pity that it has to be like that, but…"

The mandrill grabbed his stick, and said: "With your permission, I shall leave."

They stayed in silence for some time, while Zira finally ate the meat and drank the water to regain her strenght, while her mate just looked tenderly at her and her cubs, waiting for her to finish. Finally, when that happened, Scar said: "You know, Zira… I already decided one thing."

"What is it?" asked the lioness, curious.

"This cub… the boy… will be my heir." said Scar.

For some moments, Zira didn't speak. That decision had startled her so much that she didn't know what to think. The fact that he wanted to make his heir a cub not from his own blood let her a little bit surprised. But Scar seemed perfectly sure of what he was saying. After some moments, when she finally regained her breath, she asked: "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." said Scar. "I know he's not my son, but I still think it is the right choice. I know that his father is a monster… but this cub isn't. He reminds me a lot of me when I was a young cub. I know it is sounding strange but… believe me, I can feel that this cub is the best for the place of heir."

The lioness was a little bit surprised at her mate thinking that her youngest cub would be the best for the place of future king, and for some moments even considered it to be almost crazy, but she knew that, so far, her mate had never done a wrong decision, except perhaps not making Kisasian the heir, but even that proved to be the right one, because when Kisasian met Adia, he even asked his father for not to change his mind about him not being the heir, so he could be free to start a pride with Adia. Zira was feeling confident that this decision would also be the right one.

"Alright, then." said Zira.

She added in mind: "If you think that my youngest son is worthy to be your heir, and that those cubs are worthy to be called yours, I promise that I will love them as so!"

Then, Scar asked: "So, what will we name those cubs?"

For some moments, Scar considered that maybe he should also name the cubs, but after all he wasn't their father. Zira was their mother, and the biological father of the newborn babies wasn't there, so she was the one who had more right to name the cubs. And it seemed that she already had the perfect names for the cubs.

"Well…" said Zira, almost without hesitating. "I want to name the girl Vitani, and the boy Kovu."

"'War' and 'Scar'." translated her mate. "Rather scary names."

"Yes." said Zira, nodding. "But this girl is child of our war against the Circle of Life and a rogue lion. They want to crush us, but we will survive. And I name the boy Kovu because, if you want him to be your heir, I also want him to walk on your pawprints."

"As you wish." said Scar, licking her forehead. "They are your cubs, you decide."

With those words, he finally lied down close to his mate. She smiled feeling Scar's paw over her, and closed her eyes.

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On that very same night, Scar gathered both the prides and the clan in Pride Rock. Everyone there was curious about the reason for the meeting, because, when they were called, it was because something important happened.

"What does Scar want with us now?" asked Shenzi to Banzai under her breath.

"Maybe saying that we will finally leave Pride Rock." said Banzai.

"Ahem…" said Scar, asking for silence. "I called you to this meeting because I have something important to communicate. I know that meetings may be boring, but I assure you that this one won't take long."

"Well then, what do you want to tell us, sir?" asked Doria.

"Well… I already decided who will be my heir, and your future king… and I assumed you have the right to know."

The Golden Pride showed slightly curious about who would be the heir, but the clan and the Pride Landers showed slightly bored. They didn't express any verbal opinion, but their expressions somehow spoke for them, saying: "If it was only that, it wasn't necessary to call a meeting!"

Kisasian was among the ones curious to know who would be the heir – he had perfect consciousness that the heir wouldn't be himself, eventhough that fact didn't bother him anymore – but Nuka seemed somewhat hopeful that the heir would be himself. He hadn't too much hopes, but, like he had heard his granduncle Dhalimu saying once: "Hope is the last thing to die."

"Who will be the heir, sir?" asked Rama, with a solemn expression.

"Well, my heir, and possibly your future king, will be Kovu, Zira's youngest cub."

An expression of amazement came to the faces of all the creatures gathered there. So, Scar was making the cub a rogue his heir? What would happen if the cub's father arrived suddenly? Because that danger hadn't been completely eliminated yet. But what was sure was that Scar would need an heir, and since he didn't want Kisasian to be it, and Nuka wasn't healthy enough, the heir would have to be one of Zira's youngest cubs, especially now that the queen could never have a cub again. But, overall, the Golden Pride accepted this. On the other paw, the Pridelanders seemed shocked. After the impact of the first impression, the hyenas were seemingly ignoring it.

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After having told the important thing that he wanted to tell on the meeting, Scar said that they all could go away. Everyone went to their respective sleeping places, except Sarabi, Sarafina, Nala, Nuru, Mheetu, Shani, Moyo, Jani, and Tojo, who had another secret meeting in a good place where they wouldn't be heard by neither the hyenas nor the Golden Pride. The motive of the meeting was their most recent worry. Jani and Tojo had tried to ask Mega to come, but the old lion replied that he was sick of their constant plots to depose the king, who, so far, had allowed everyone to keep surviving. He eventually agreed that Scar only had saved them "so far", because nobody knew what the future would bring, but, even so, he kept trusting Scar, eventhough he still hated with all his heart the idea of being close to the hyenas that had killed his mate and not doing anything to avenge her.

"This can't continue." said Sarabi, on the moment when they arrived to the proper place. "Scar is stubbornly refusing to leave this place, and the remaining animals aren't too much. If this drought keeps for two or three more months, we're gone."

"Two more months is the time missing for Bovu to come, according to what you told us, sis." said Mheetu to Nala.

"Yes…" said Nala. "But now there is a problem. If Bovu's idea was to break Zira and Scar apart by making Zira to have a cub from him, it worked out rather badly. After all, Scar even chose him to be his heir!"

"That's the prove that he's worthless." said Jani.

That comment made all the lionesses and lions to look at her from amazement. Noticing it, she explained: "I meant that he's so unfit to be king that not even one of his cubs can be the heir! His cubs are so useless that he has to use the cub of a rogue!"

"Kisasian is not worthless!" thought Shani. She would have shouted it, if not for the danger of their meeting being discovered. Besides, any good words about Kisasian costed an angry and disappointed stare from her mother and friends… and she didn't want to become lonely, like Kisasian once was. Now, she used to think that if she could go back, most likely she wouldn't have obeyed her mother, so that she and Kisasian could be together. But now it was too late. Whatever it was, she tried to hear the others.

The other lions seemed to agree partially at Jani's logic, but then, Nuru added: "The real point is that situation is becoming worse and the king refuses to do anything about it!"

"So far, we've made out of it alive." said Tojo, eventhough he seemed uncertain when he told it.

"But that won't last for much longer!" said Moyo. "I just hope that Bovu comes soon… to rid us of that idiot!"

"I couldn't agree more with you." said Sarafina.

The others nodded, and, after some more short talking, decided to go back to their sleeping places, before they were discovered.

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Two weeks had passed since the day when Kovu and Vitani were born. The shock of knowing that the cub of a rogue woulKisasian loved his youngest brother and younger sister, but Nuka – eventhough he also loved them – just couldn't help but to feel a little bit annoyed with the fact of Kovu being king. Nuka wasn't power hungry, but he wanted to make his father and mother proud, and thought that being king would be the best way for it. Unfortunately, because of his illness, he would never become king. Kisasian didn't seem angry with that fact, but he had reconcilled with it a long time ago.

Like it was usual for the cubs of a desert lioness, they developed faster than Pridelander cubs, so when they became two weeks old, they began walking and speaking. The first word of Kovu was "mom", and Vitani's was "grandpa". This was a slight surprise, because most of them expected Vitani's first word to be "mom" as well, but, curiously, the young female had a very good relationship with Arista. It was still hard to be told, but, normally, when she was angry and most of them failed in cheering her up, Arista managed to. Besides, she always seemed to look her grandfather's ears to chew. This was because most of the pride members, except her mother, thought that Vitani, even as a newborn cub, bit so hard that it could actually, and generally tried to keep her far from their ears. But the old former king didn't mind. Nobody actually understood why, but most of the others felt some kind of "secret relief" because if Vitani had one lion that didn't mind his ears being chewed, she wouldn't do it to them. Zira tried to make her to say also the word "dad" while looking to Scar, but, much to her surprise, the cubs, instead of saying "dad", said "Scar". The king didn't seem angry with that fact, but Zira just couldn't help to feel disturbed, because for her it seemed that the cubs didn't consider Scar their father. Not that they didn't like him, but… she couldn't actually explain.

One day after the moment when the two cubs began walking, Zira, Sparthi, Kira, Arista and Dhalimu decided to take them on a family walk, while the other members of the two prides (except Hanja, Imani, Sifia and Adia, who were still patrolling the border, looking for the rogue) and most of the hyenas went on hunt. Scar also would have gone on the family walk, but, because the previous day had been tiring, he decided to stay on the cave to rest.

On that moment, he was laying on his rock-like bed, picking his teeth with a bone, while Zazu - still on his cage, and being replaced on scouting duties by Tojo's birds – was singing. It wasn't exactly bad, because the majordomo had nice voice, but it seemed that he was suffering from lack of inspiration. Or, better to say, inspiration directed to sadness.

He was singing: "_Nobody knows / /The trouble I've seen_ / _Nobody knows / My sorrow_"

Scar was getting a little bit annoyed. The times of drought were already bad enough without Zazu to make things even sadder, so he decided to give an order to the hornbill.

"Oh, Zazu, do lighten up." said the lion, throwing the bone incidentally against the cage. "Sing something with a little bounce in it."

Zazu thought for a moment, and then, he began singing the song that he knew to be the favourite from the king when he was a cub:

"_It's a small world after all_"

But, much to Zazu's surprise, Scar interrupted him, almost shouting: "No! No! Anything but that!"

In fact, he used to like the song as a cub, but now… it reminded him too much. The brutal death of his mother, to begin with, that had been caused by him… and he already felt guilty enough without that being reminded to him. Also because that one used to be Mufasa's favourite song… and again his guilt was reminded.

Zazu got surprised at Scar's attitude, but, after thinking a little bit, he held up a feather, and began singing:

"_I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts diddely-dee-dee / There they are a-standing in a row_"

Scar enjoyed that one, and joined in, singing with Zazu:

"_Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head…_"

Scar held up a head of a long-eaten prey in his paws, and, while he kept singing, Zazu whispered, slightly depressed: "Oh, I would never have to do this to Mufasa…"

It happened. At the mention of his brother's name, the king shouted, with quick and scary voice: "WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"Oh, nothing." said Zazu, making a frightened expression.

"You know the law!" insisted the black-maned lion. "Never, ever mention that name in my presence. I AM THE KING!"

As he finished, he shoved his muzzle between the ribs of Zazu's cage, blowing up the bird against the wall. As soon as the hornbill got up, he said: "Yes, sire. You are the king. I… I… I only mentioned it to illustrate the differences in your royal managerial approaches."

The bird laughed nervously. Scar believed in less of half of the words told by Zazu, but he was in a good mood, at least good enough to ignore it after the hornbill's apology. But, on that moment, he heard a well-known voice shouting: "Hey, boss!"

"Oh, what is it this time?" asked Scar, turning to the cave's entrance, where his triplets were entering. In fact, he already could guess the answer from the tone of the voice when the sentence was made, but he had to confirm it.

Banzai said, with an angry stare: "We've got a bone to pick with you!"

"Let me handle this." whispered Shenzi to her brother. She knew that it was more likely that Scar would hear her than Banzai, because the male hyena only complained about his stomach. Eventhough this time she had a simmilar complain: "Scar, there's no food, no water…"

"Yeah, it's dinner time, and we ain't no stinkin'entries!" added Banzai, still angry.

"Oh, it's the prides' job to do the hunting." said Scar, with exasperated voice.

"And they are sick of hunting for all of you!" he added in mind.

"Yeah, but they won't go on the hunt!" said Banzai.

"Oh, eat Zazu!" said the king with playful voice, indicating the bird. The hyenas made famished stares at him.

Of course, Scar wasn't talking seriously – what, truth be told, the hyenas understood – but the hornbill said desperately: "Oh, you wouldn't want me! I'd be so tought and gamey and… ewww…"

Scar wasn't meaning it when he told the triplets to eat the bird, but he was again with some will to laugh, so he decided to keep the joke: "Oh, Zazu, don't be ridiculous. All you need is a little garnish."

But his anger returned when he heard Banzai saying to Shenzi: "I thought things were bad under Mufasa."

This time, his anger reached limits that he didn't even knew to exist. He already knew of the hyenas' complains at the current situation – in fact, he had to supress more than one mutiny – but he never hoped to hear any of them, and especially, one of the triplets that he had raised from early cubhood, to say that. He shouted, trying to repress his anger the best that he could: "What did you say?"

"I said…" began Banzai, but then Shenzi smiled at Scar and thwaped Banzai to remind him of the law, and the male hyena, remembering, said: "Qué pasa?"

"Good." said Scar, eventhough he was still angry. "Now get out."

The hyenas obeyed, but, just before leaving the cave, Banzai turned back and said: "Mm… yeah, but – we're still hungry."

"OUT!" roared Scar, while his eyes shouted the rest of the phrase: "Or I'll kill you!"

The hyenas left the place, but, for some reason, Ed let loose a crazy laugh.

"Oh… what is happening?" thought Scar. "Even they are betraying me… this couldn't get any worse."

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If Scar thought that things couldn't get any worse, maybe he would have a surprise soon. Because, on that exact moment, two lions were on the western border of the Pride Lands, on the Green Den, the Pridelanders' supposed secret hideout – since not even the Golden Pride or the hyenas knew of it – and one of them was planning to enter.

"This was called «The Green Den» by the Pridelanders." said Bovu to Shimo. "But it seems that it lost all the green that it had since my last visit. It is probably because of the Great Drought."

"Must be." said Shimo, eventhough he had barely seen green during all his life. The only green that he knew was from the plants growing on the bank of the Border River that he had sometimes visited, and the grass of the Pride Lands seen from far.

Shimo lied down in the shade of the rock, while Bovu said: "Alright then. Son… I will go now."

Eventhough both had been prepared for the moment of Bovu's temporary goodbye, this was hard. They had said goodbye to each other several times, but from all those times they were sure of seeing each other again. But this time it was different. Bovu was going on a small journey as well, but he knew that the possibility of him never returning existed. But he didn't want to worry his son more than he already was.

"Alright then…" said Bovu hesitantly. "Goodbye… I have a mission to do…"

"Why can't I go with you?" asked Shimo with begging voice.

"Because I am your father, and I am ordering you to stay here." said Bovu. "And because if… for some reason… I die… if you were with me, they'd kill you too. But, if you stay here, there are more chances of you to escape. So – and please, obey this – whatever happens, PROMISE that you won't enter these lands in order to look for me. Understand?"

Shimo looked in his father's eyes for some moments. Since some recent times, he had grown used to follow the orders of his father… but this one was so hard to follow… what if something happened? The blue-eyed lion decided to ask it:

"What if something happens to you?" asked Shimo, with scared voice.

"Please, don't attract bad luck." replied the older lion. "I know that there is the possibility of something happening to me, but I want you to stay here to make sure that nothing happens to you. I don't want you to die."

"Neither do I want you to die." admitted Shimo, with some tears appearing on his eyes.

"Look, Shimo… I would promise that I wouldn't die… but I'm not sure that I can keep it. You must promise that you'll stay here, because you can keep it. Now, PROMISE."

The last word was spoken with so firm and forceful voice that Shimo didn't dare to refuse. He said, solemnly, but with the first tear dropping from his right eye: "I promise."

"That's a good boy." said Bovu, smiling.

"But… what if you're caught before you challenge the king?" asked Shimo, again with worried voice.

"That's why I'm entering through the western border." said Bovu. "I have some hope that the king, knowing that I came from north, will focuse the sentries there, while I go through a border where there are less sentries."

Shimo was forced to agree with his father's logic, but he was still afraid. Just like Bovu was. But he had to hide his own fear. He said: "Now, Shimo, if I win, I will come back for you, and we'll have a pride of our own. If I don't return for a day… I want you to go away, and try to live a happy life. I don't want anything bad to happen to you here. Our family and friends already suffered enough because of Ahadi's bloodline, I don't want the same happening to you."

He was trying to sound calm, but a careful auditor would notice that his voice was about to break. Then, he said: "Now… goodbye."

On that moment, Shimo got up, and the two lions nuzzled each other, possibly for the last time. But both wanted to drive away that thought. So, after a relatively long moment that they spent nuzzling each other, they separated, and Bovu walked east, to Pride Rock, ready to release a pride from a cruel king. But, before doing that, he looked at his son one last time, and, even from far, he could notice that Shimo was crying. He just couldn't help but to think that Shimo's eyes would never see him alive again. But, before his previous determination broke, he turned back east, trying to walk with more decisive steps.

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_Well... what did you think? Review, please!_


	53. Chapter 52: Fulfill the law

_Hello. Now I am publishing chapter 52. Well... as it comes, things are getting more and more complicated, I would say. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 52 – Fulfill the law**

Bovu just advanced deeper in the Pride Lands, looking at the place devastated by the dry season. Whatever he was trying to hide, he still felt a little bit scared about the whole situation. He had never seen Scar, and only now he remembered of how stupid he had been at not asking Nala how the king was when it came to physical building. Bovu was sure of recognizing the king, after all he should have some features of Ahadi. But one of the things that worried him the most was to imagine what more he had inherited of Ahadi. If the king had inherited the massive muscles, sharp claws and bloodthirst from his father, the fight would be ugly. But Bovu had to win, whatever happened, because there was no other option. He had to avenge his family, and to release Nala's pride from the tyrant. In an attempt of not to concern himself so much with that matter, he decided to look more carefully at the place where he was walking, trying to figure out something that he could do to help the poor pride, maybe even the two prides, if the king's followers bowed to him.

His last memory of the Pride Lands had more than seven years, and he was surprised seeing how the place had changed. Instead of green and soft grass, there was now a yellow and gray colour as far as eyes could see. Instead of vast herds of prey, the landscape was pratically desert, with the only living creatures around him being vultures, the few creatures that could prosperate in times of drought.

"It will be a little bit hard to keep living in such a place for too much time." thought Bovu. "But, when someone spends some years in the Outlands, he or she learns to use everything that a land has to give. This place has at least as much as the Outlands to give. If managed properly, the Outlands would be able to feed a whole pride for some years, so, I believe I can feed the two prides, if I teach them some things. I only hope that the tyrant's followers don't create too much troubles after I defeat the king. Well… if they don't want to live under my rule, they may go away. But those hyenas… no mercy for them. I will kill them all, and make them to pay for what they did to my mate! Oh… to become king may be easy, but I doubt that being one will be as easy."

Trying to think of different things, he looked at a group of vultures that had landed on a tree, and from there was looking over the dry landscape. But, thinking better, no… the scavenging birds weren't the only creatures in the hot savannah. Focusing his look further, Bovu saw four creatures, quickly coming close to him.He could recognize them as lions. Three females, and one male.

"Who can they be?" asked Bovu silently. "The king himself? The king's followers? Or some members of this pride?"

Whatever they were, caution was never too much, so Bovu quickly tried to hide in the high grass. He wasn't making almost any sound at all, breathing as low as he could, but his heart was beating so loud that he was almost sure that the patrol would hear it. But, much to his luck, when the quarter came closer, they didn't show any signs of seeing him, eventhough they seemed to be looking for something. Bovu tried to be as cautious as he could, and, in the mean time, he looked at the lion and the lionesses carefully. He looked at the lion first, managing to see that he was at least as big as him, maybe slightly smaller, but only that.

"That's strange." thought Bovu. "He resembles someone… he resembles… my father… Hanja! Oh, I never thought I'd see my cousin again!"

Bovu prepared to leave his cover and meet his cousin again, but, before he moved, he remembered a very strange detail.

"But what is Hanja doing here?" thought the black-maned lion. "He should be in the desert, not here! Wait… those lionesses beside him are Imani and Sifia… I don't know who's the third one, but by the looks she is Imani's – and maybe Hanja's as well – daughter. So… counting with Zira… at least four members of my original pride are here? Can they be… the pride that came from another land? Can they be the tyrant's followers? No… it can't be! Or can… for a desperate pride, this land is probably so good that it looks like paradise. I don't know why, but the tyrant accepted them to be here… if Zira is his mate and the queen… what has he done to her for she to accept? Oh… anyway, what it cares so far is that my original pride seems to be the tyrant's followers. But… I bet Hanja remembers me. Just in case, I'll come in with the excuse that I have something to settle with the king, and make him to take me to Scar. Then, I challenge Scar, and all will be solved! The prides will be released from the tyrant, my parents will be avenged, the hyenas will be killed… I never thought I could kill so much birds with a single stone. Oh… let's play a little."

It could sound rather strange for an eleven years old lion to speak or even think about playing, but Bovu felt that his cubhood had actually finished when he saw his father being killed, so he never played since then, except with his son. Prepared to have some fun, he decided to make a noise to show his presence.

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Hanja was making the patrol of the Pride Lands with his mate, daughter, and sister in law. So far, nothing unusual had appeared, because the mysterious rogue hadn't appeared ever since the night of the incident with Zira, but suddenly, he heard a sound. His ears instantly flicked up, and he looked around, trying to figure out what had done the noise. Feeling the tension of the lion, the three lionesses stopped.

"What happened, dad?" whispered Adia, worried.

"There's someone around here…" replied the lion. "Stalking us… but I can't see it… what's expected, because stalkers never want to be seen…"

But suddenly, Hanja saw the top of a black mane appearing from the high grass, only some metres away. Making a signal with his tail, he indicated to the lionesses that he had seen something. They understood, and, after that, trying to sound as discrete as they could, the four went to the high grass, and only then they dared to separate. The idea was to get the rogue before he got them, but on the high grass it was unsure that happened. Getting in it was an actual danger, because the top of the black mane had disappeared again, and there was the possibility of the lion break their necks, one by one, without they even noticing.

"It seems that he isn't as bad at sneaking as we thought." thought Hanja. "I wonder if he purposely showed himself to attract us to here, and then finish us off… it if is like that, we're in real trouble…"

But suddenly, he heard a sound. The sound of a stick being stepped and broken. Hanja tired look up the grass again, but always cautious enough for try not to show himself, and he, once again, saw a black mane. It was relatively close from him… but it was even closer to Imani, who had just raised her head from the grass in another attempt to look further. The lion could be trying to kill her… he would have to do something…

"I think that if I give a sprint, I may get the rogue before he hides again or he gets Imani. And, if he tries to run away, we're four, and he's only one. There are some chances that we get him, and even if we don't, he'll probably get too scared to return."

Hanja decided to try out his first chance, and he, running as fast as he could, jumped on the place where he had seen the black mane. But suddenly, the rogue, realizing that he had been spotted, crouched, and instead of plunging into another lion's neck, Hanja's extended claws only got some hair. And, just for bad luck, there was a small hole on that place, which made him to trip and roll some meters. Fortunately, the three lionesses had understood his intention, and, before the rogue could hide, they ran to him. The rogue was fast in reaction, but not fast enough to escape the three lionesses. Imani, Sifia and Adia managed to keep him trapped, and then Hanja, who had just got up, ran to him, and, pressing his head against the floor, said: "Lay low! You move, you die. Now, tell me what are you doing on these lands, before I kill you."

The answer was anything but what he expected, and also with a very different tone. The lion said, with mocking and ironical voice: "Now, Hanja, is that a way to treat your cousin?"

"My cousin?" asked Hanja, confused. But then, he looked at the face of the lion that was under his paws.

"Bovu?" asked the lion. "Is that you?"

Imani and Sifia made a sound of understanding. After a close examination, they also recognized the lion as Hanja's cousin, and their cubhood friend, and released him. Adia seemed confused, but, noticing what her mother and aunt did, she deduced that she could trust the lion, and released him as well.

"Couldn't you have recognized me before you did that?" asked Bovu, with somewhat playful voice. "You're hurting me."

Getting what he meant, Hanja released Bovu's head. The grey lion got up, and looked at his cousin.

"It's good to see you!" said Hanja, patting his cousin's head friendly.

"It's also good to see you." said Bovu, before turning to the two older lionesses. "And it's also good to see you two."

He hugged Imani and Sifia friendly, and only then he turned to Adia.

"And who are you?" asked Bovu, friendly. "I don't know you."

"My name is Adia." replied the young lioness, bowing slightly her head. "And you're my father's cousin, right? He told me about you."

"So, you haven't forgotten me completely…" said Bovu with mocking voice to Hanja. "But, speaking of concrete matters, what are you doing here?"

"Well…" said Hanja. "The Great Drought has completely destroyed our homeland, so we came to the Pride Lands. Here, the king, Scar, allowed us to stay…"

But Bovu didn't listen any further, because he was focused on his thoughts: "So, my original pride follows a tyrant? I don't know why… but if they do, then it is my duty to release them from him… but why do they follow the tyrant? Whatever, if they do, their reaction to me deposing him won't be exactly the best. So… I have to make Hanja to take me to this king. Then, I challenge the king to a duel, and it's all solved. I just hope Nala and her pride don't blab about recognizing me, because if they do, they may be in serious trouble… if the king wins, that is. Oh… for now I just have to convince Hanja to take me to this king. I don't want to tell him any lie, but I also can't tell the truth. Oh… let me think… I know."

Hoping that his silence hadn't been too long, Bovu said: "That comes in the right moment, because I have some words to say to your king."

It was the closest to the truth that he could tell. He in fact, had some words to tell to the king. Maybe more than some. Hanja, Imani and Sifia seemed to trust him, but they weren't completely convinced. And the younger lioness, Adia, surely wasn't trusting him.

"You know him?" asked Adia, surprised. "Our king has never told me about you."

"I knew a relative of him." said Bovu, again saying as close to the truth as he could. Hoping that it would make things more convincing, he added, trying to keep as calm as he could: "His brother, Mufasa."

Hanja seemed to fully believe his cousin. Imani and Sifia appeared to be more convinced, but Adia was still untrusting. Less than before, but it was obvious that she was very suspicious about the lion. Hanja was almost ready to say that they would take him to Scar, when his daughter took him aside, and asked: "Daddy, are you sure that we can trust him?"

"Why shouldn't we?" asked Hanja, confused. "He's my cousin, and I know him…"

"You can't say that you know him well when you haven't seen him for about ten years, right?" asked Adia, narrowing her eyes. "What if he is the rogue that attacked lady Zira?"

"No, I can't say that I know him well." admitted the green-eyed lion. "But I believe I can say that I know him well enough to be sure that he wouldn't do that."

"Or would he?" thought Hanja, after hearing what his daughter told. "I'm not sure of what happened in those ten years. He may have changed a lot. After all, Jambazi and Nduli changed in a mere day because of those rogues…"

Wanting to stop the thought about Jambazi and Nduli, because it always made him sad, Hanja thought: "The actual point is that I don't know how much Bovu changed… but if he becomes too aggressive to the king, we are four, we can stop him. But, for some reason, I'm still untrusting… but this may be without reason. I'll take him to Scar, but keep him under vigillance, until we're sure that he doesn't mean any harm."

The lion told his daughter: "Adia, we'll take my cousin to the king. I'm almost sure he doesn't mean any harm."

"Alright…" said Adia, eventhough she was still suspicious. "But I still don't like it."

Trying to ignore the words of his daugther, and a feeling that he had that something was very strange about it, the black-maned lion said: "So, I want you, your mother, and aunt, to keep him under vigillance, at least until we're sure he doesn't mean any harm."

"It's the best decision." agreed Adia, going to tell it to Imani and Sifia.

Meanwhile, Hanja went to his cousin, and said: "Alright, Bovu, come with us. We'll take you to king Scar, and we'll see what you have to tell him."

"Thanks." said Bovu, managing to keep a neutral voice.

But inside, he was boiling with enthusiasm, and thinking: "Yes! I did it! Oh, Hanja, you are still naïve… but I assure you that you and all our pride will be better under my rule that under the tyrant's rule. If you accept my rule, that is."

Then he walked faster to catch up with his cousin and the three lionesses.

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After some time of walking, the two lions and the three lionesses reached Pride Rock, that was currently surrounded by some members of the clan. Seeing Bovu, all the hyenas backed away in fear, and some of them snarled in an attempt to scare the lion, but not even one dared to say a word. Bovu looked at them with a hateful look. Currently, his rage was so much that he barely repressed himself of jumping to the hyenas and killing them all. Adia noticed it, and she whispered it to her father.

"See, dad?" asked the lioness. "He hates the hyenas, and those scavengers seem afraid of him. Something is strange."

"I don't think so." replied Hanja. "After all, it is rather natural for them to feel afraid of a strange lion… and, as much as we deny, it's in the instinct of most of lions to hate hyenas. We have grown used to that, but Bovu probably doesn't. Anyway, he said that he only wanted to speak with lord Scar, so, if he leaves again, I doubt that he becomes a problem to the hyenas."

The lioness was forced to admit that her father was right, but still… she had a bad feeling. The five felines climbed Pride Rock, and then, Hanja said: "You must wait outside Bovu. I go call lord Scar, and you three… well, I don't know. Do what you want."

For some unknown reason, the three lionesses decided to keep an eye on Bovu even there.

"I don't know what you think, but I don't trust him too much." said Adia to her mother and aunt.

"Well… he does sound a little bit strange." said Imani, with mistrustful voice. "I know he said that he only wanted to speak with the king… but he can't be living too close from here. What may he want from the king?"

"Maybe he just wants to give his condolences about Mufasa's death." said Sifia. "But… if he wanted that, he should have come here much time before… after all, Mufasa died about four years ago…"

"That's why I say that there's something strange." insisted Adia.

"Don't worry, it will all be clarified when Hanja returns with king Scar." said Imani.

That didn't take too much time. Only about a minute or two later, Hanja returned with the king at his side.

When Bovu saw Scar, he felt like if a huge hatred was awakened. That lion looked like Ahadi in almost every feature… his muzzle was almost like Ahadi's, and his mane was as black as Ahadi's… and those green pityless eyes were just like Ahadi's. This lion could perfectly be the tyrant himself if not for having mahogany fur and being very thin. When Bovu noticed the lion's physical building, he felt like some sudden will to burst in laughter. Laughter of relief and despair. Relief at seeing that after all, the king was just a scrawny and thin lion whose neck he could break with a single blow… eventhough he wouldn't do that. That tyrant had to die in a painful way… he would make that tyrant to feel as much pain as Scar's family had caused to him. But despair, because… if such a weak lion had managed to keep in tyrannical power unchallenged for so many years… he should have a trick. Bovu decided that he would have to be cautious.

"There is no way back now." thought Bovu. "Life or death are the only possibilities."

Then, Hanja said: "Bovu… this is Scar, our king… I think you may speak with him."

Scar looked at the other lion, narrowing slightly his eyes. He didn't like the look of that rogue. Besides, it seemed familiar to him… but it wouldn't care. Most likely.

"Well then." said Scar. "Speak. Hanja told me that you had a short thing to tell me… what do you have to say?"

"I challenge you for a duel." replied Bovu, with a voice so cold and full of hatred that the hearts of every creature there froze.

Particularly Scar's. A challenge for a duel was something that he hadn't faced in many years. In fact, he had never faced a real challenge. Mufasa had challenged him for a duel some times, but it wasn't by far a serious challenge, like the one that he was about to face with Bovu. And this lion was surely a dangerous opponent. He was at least as big as Mufasa, but with more sharp teeth and claws. Fighting with him meant almost certain death.

In a vain hope that Bovu's words had been just an illusion caused by hunger and thirst, Scar asked: "Will you repeat again? I think I didn't hear."

"Besides being a tyrant, are you also deaf?" asked Bovu, now almost shouting.

All the lions who heard that got very confused. Who had told Bovu that Scar was a tyrant? And why would someone tell that Scar, one of the wisest kings ever to exist, was a tyrant? Whatever, that didn't matter, because Bovu repeated, in the same loud voice: "You want it more oficially? Very well. I, Bovu, challenge you, Scar, for a duel."

Knowing that it would complete the sentence, he added almost instantly: "According to the Law of Challenge."

Scar concluded that it wasn't an illusion, for sure. Bovu had indeed challenged him for a duel. But, what seemed strange, was that there existed something personal thing behind that challenge. It wasn't just a challenge to rule over a land, there was something personal in his motivation. His expression full of hatred and anger didn't mean any other thing. And now there was no turning back. Scar would have to fight. After the claimant spoke, only the challenged one could fight his opponent. In this case, Scar would have to kill Bovu.

Noticing that his recent opponent didn't react, he said: "Now, you have two options: I kill you right now, or you may call both your prides and your scavengers, so that they aren't caught by surprise when they return, seeing a rogue occupying the place of their tyrant."

"That's not too much of a consolation." thought Scar. "But they will still take some time to return, that gives me some more time to think in some idea of thinking in a way to beat this brute. I just wonder what he wants… because it is not a kingdom. There's something personal in this challenge, I feel it. But that doesn't change a thing. Oh… may he be the rogue that attacked Zira? If he is… he'll be sorry."

Scar knew that he had very little chances to win against Bovu, but the anger that he was feeling against Bovu for what he had done to Zira dominated him. Besides, being the king, he had to stand up for his title. So, he lifted his head to Bovu, and said with firm voice: "I take the second choice. And I accept the challenge."

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While Scar tried to make up for his physical weakness with an intelligent plan, Hanja came closer to Bovu, confused with his sudden change of attitude. He didn't need to look at his mate, sister-in-law, or daughter, to guess that they were all saying the same thing with their eyes: "You were warned!"

But now he would have to try to repair his mistake. He couldn't fight Bovu himself, because it would be hard to fight his best cubhood friend… and also because it was too late. Bovu had already challenged Scar officially. The only hope was to make his cousin to change his mind.

"Bovu…" asked Hanja, fearfully. "Why have you challenged the king? Are you crazy?"

"No, Hanja." replied Bovu. "I'm not crazy."

There was so much hatred and coldness in the grey lion's voice that Hanja froze. But there wasn't any madness, at least on a first analysis. Hanja tried to use some feeling of guilt of his cousin to make him change his mind, but the only question he reminded was: "Why have you lied to me? You told me that you wanted to speak with the king…"

"I told you that I only wanted to say some words to the king." replied Bovu. "And I only wanted to say the necessary words to challenge him for a duel."

Hanja would have to act desperately. He asked: "Is there any way of making you to change your mind?"

"NO!" replied Bovu, with his voice getting colder and angrier by the moment. "There is no way of doing that. Say goodbye to your tyrant, while you have time."

"He's not…" tried to begin Hanja, but, before he finished his sentence, Bovu gave him a smack on his muzzle.

Hanja was as big and powerful as Bovu, but the total surprise made the brownfurred to fall. But, on the next moment, the greyfurred lion ran to Hanja, and said, with extremely sorrowful voice: "Hanja, I'm very sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"You didn't." replied the brownfurred lion. "But Bovu, please…"

"There's nothing you can do for me to change my mind." said Bovu, again in cold and decisive voice.

Bovu began walking in circles around the cave, growing more and more nervous. Hanja just fell to the ground, covering his head with his paws, and the only sound that he made was: "What have I done?"

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Eventually, both prides arrived from the hunting, accompanied by the hyenas that had gone with them. Zira also returned from her walking in family - in which only Nuka didn't participate, because he wanted to play with Hawaa – and she gasped in surprise when she saw that Bovu was already there. When she looked at Hanja and the other members of the patrol, she saw the green eyes of the lion filled with guilt, and understood that, somehow, it had been because of him. Fortunately, Scar was still alive and unharmed… but when she heard that Bovu already had officially challenged Scar for a duel, her heart froze in fear. It was too late to do anything. The only hope was her mate to defeat Bovu… but that one was almost impossible. However, it was still a hope.

Some of the older members of the Golden Pride also recognized Bovu, and got very surprised at his presence there, and even more with his intention. The Pridelanders were as surprised as the Golden Pride, but for a different reason: because Bovu had appeared much earlier than expected. They only waited him about six weeks from that day, yet he antecipated.

"But his early arrival is only making it easier." thought Sarabi. "Another month of waiting would be hard."

They all gathered under Pride Rock, and then, Scar said: "Uh… like you might, or might not know, this lion, Bovu, came here and challenged me for a duel. He was smart enough to trick our patrol..." Hanja shrank in shame when Scar told that, but almost nobody saw it. "… and challenge me. Now, only I can fight him, and either kill him or make him ask for mercy."

"I will never ask for mercy." growled Bovu. "And I want to see my cubs."

"What cubs?" asked Arista.

"Zira's youngest cubs!" roared Bovu impatiently, walking towards the queen. "I assume she had them by now?"

A general gasp of surprise was heard on the area, and the general conclusion came to their minds. Bovu was the rogue that attacked Zira. Eventhough the suspect existed earlier, seeing it confirmed was a shock for many, particularly for Hanja, who began crying even more. All the adult members of Zira's family, and Uzuri as well, seemed to barely repress the will of jumping to Bovu and kill him on the spot. Probably they only didn't do it because they had to keep the law.

Zira roared: "I won't let you! I won't let you hurt my cubs!"

"They're also my cubs." said Bovu, and this time his voice became almost begging. "Please…"

Zira was so shocked by that, that she lifted her paw, showing Kovu and Vitani. Surprisingly, the cubs weren't scared. They gave some steps towards Bovu. The lion, with a surprising gentle smile, hugged them both with his paw, and nuzzled Kovu first, and Vitani after. Surprisingly, when Bovu hugged him again, Kovu said, with a happy smile: "Dad."

Vitani didn't say nothing, but she climbed to her father's head, and bit his ear with some strength, eventhough still in a playful way. Bovu yelped slightly, but then, he grabbed the young lioness with his paw, and, taking her off his head, said with a smile: "You're such a naughty girl…"

"Dad." said Vitani, hugging Bovu's paw again, making him to smile and stroke his daughter's back.

He turned to Zira, and asked: "What are their names?"

"The boy is called Kovu, and the girl is called Vitani." replied the lioness.

She didn't know what to feel, but there was one thing was sure in her mind: "At least, Bovu treats his children like children, not like objects."

Bovu narrowed slightly his eyes, noticing that his son had been called after Ahadi's son, but he didn't make any comment.

Meanwhile, Scar was looking at the two cubs, who were playing with their father for a short moment. How they had known that Bovu was their father? Well, they surely had known, because they were getting along well with him. And that would probably be the part that bothered him the most. That lion was stepping between him and Zira! Those were his cubs, and loved their father… that could… no, Zira would never go away from him. But she wouldn't abandon the cubs as well… what if Bovu planned on taking them? Now there was no time to think about that, anyway. Scar had a duel to win.

Sending the cubs back to Zira, he got up, and said: "That's true. I came here to challenge your tyrant. And there's nothing you can do now. Well… what I can say is this: if I become king, my first order will be the execution of this whole hyena-clan!"

The lions seemed slightly impressed at the statement. But Scar noticed one disturbing thing. Bovu's first order after he became king was approved by some members of the pride: Jani, Mega, and Tojo. He knew that they had their reasons to hate hyenas… but he never thought they would go to the point of wanting him dead just to be able to kill the hyenas. And the other Pridelanders also seemed to support Bovu's idea of killing the hyenas, because they were staring at them with an angry stare, and claws already full-extended. The Golden Pride seemed to not to know exactly what to do.

"I knew that Bovu's kingship would bring improvements." thought Sarabi.

Suddenly, one of the scavengers – Scar recognized her as Shundwa – ran to Bovu, and, bowing to him, said: "Please, sire, have m…"

On the next second, the old hyena was pinned under Bovu's paws, and the lion roared, with his voice shivering with hatred: "MERCY? You DARE to ask for MERCY? And what mercy do you expect me to have for you? THE SAME MERCY THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE FOR MY MATE?"

Another collective gasp sounded, and then Bovu turned to Scar, and roared even louder: "And you, tyrant, what mercy do you expect me to have for you? THE SAME THAT YOUR FATHER DIDN'T HAVE FOR MINE?"

The third gasp sounded, and Scar got very surprised when he saw some tears in Bovu's eyes. Now it was all explained. But it only made the duel even worse. So, there was something personal. Bovu wanted to avenge his father. Surprisingly, Mega stepped forward, and asked: "Uh… if you don't mind me asking… how did your father look like?"

Bovu got a little bit surprise at the orange-maned lion's question, but he said with harsh voice: "Brown fur, black mane, jade-green eyes, like Hanja. WHY?"

Mega only replied, with enigmatic voice: "That explains everything. Ahadi hated lions with that look."

"Oh…" said Bovu, with even more anger in his voice. He turned to Scar again.

The king tried to ask: "Can we talk…"

"NO!" roared Bovu. "MY FATHER ALSO WANTED ONLY TO TALK, WHEN YOURS KILLED HIM! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"

"And I don't think I can blame you for that." thought Scar.

Then, Bovu roared at him: "Now, tyrant, to the plateau of Pride Rock, unless you want me to kill you here!"

"So be it!" said Scar, looking angrily at the lion. "To the plateau."

"Of course." said Bovu. "I will kill… er, fight you there."

"No." said one decisive voice. "You will not fight."

All the creatures gathered there looked at the one who had spoken, and saw that Kisasian had been the one speaking those words.

When he saw that lion, Bovu felt like if his rage and hatred were awakened again. The lion that had just spoken looked exactly like Scar, except for having a black beard, and having muscles much more developed.

"Almost like Ahadi." thought Bovu. "But it looks like he's not yet full-grown. In one year, more or less, he'll be. But if that brat thinks he can make me to give up just by his physical look, he's wrong."

Bovu looked at Kisasian angrily, extending his claws. The expression in his face was so hateful and fierce that most of the lions jumped in scare. Probably, even Kisasian felt a little bit scared, but he didn't show it. Noticing that all the lions were looking at him, Kisasian added: "At least, you will not fight my father."

"I won't?" asked Bovu ironically.

"No." said Kisasian. "You will fight me!"

A collective gasp sounded among the Golden Pride. Shani also gasped, but she hoped that the sound of that was drowned in the middle of the gasps of the other lions.

"No!" said Shani in mind. She would actually have shouted it, but something was repressing her from doing so. "Kisasian, don't do that! That brute will kill you!"

But Kisasian was firm in his decision. So firm, that even Bovu stopped to consider. If he fought with him instead, the fight would be harder. The younger lion had much more chances of winning than Scar. Whatever, as Ahadi's descendant, Kisasian's fate was already sealed, at least in Bovu's mind. So, Bovu said: "Don't be too eager, boy. I challenged your father, and it's him that I will kill. But don't worry, your turn will come next."

"No." said Kisasian firmly. "My turn will come now. My father is currently unable to stand up against you. So, I shall take his place. Old tradition of the Golden Pride… and since my father is king of the Golden Pride…"

All the Golden Pride looked at Kisasian with admire, and even some of the Pridelanders felt some sort of contraried respect. But probably the lion who was currently admiring Kisasian more was Scar. He somehow found it hard to believe that after everything that he had made his son pass through (even if unintentionally) his son was now so eager to protect him. But still, he couldn't allow on that. He was more than sure that his chances of winning against Bovu were much smaller than Kisasian's, but still, the king was himself. And unfortunately, he was also Ahadi's son. Eventhough he most of the times swallowed his pride, this wasn't one of them. Besides, Scar's rage at the lion that had hurt his mate was playing a role in it.

"No, Kisasian." said Scar firmly. "I will fight him. I am the king. I am able to fight."

"Dad…" said the prince.

"Kisasian, as your father, I order you to not to question my sanity." said Scar as firmly as he could. Then, he turned to the Golden Pride, and said: "Golden Pride, as your king, I order you for not to intefere on the duel. Bovu, I accept your challenge."

The Golden Pride nodded, but rather unwillingly. For them, the whole thing could have a much faster and safer ending. But if Scar had already been challenged, and mainly, if he had accepted and forbid them of interfering, there was nothing to do.

"That's more like it." said Bovu. "Now, to the plateau!"

Scar noticed that Bovu was already commanding him… almost as if he believed that he would be king.

"And you don't need to say goodbye to your sons." said Bovu, with evil and ironical voice, that made Scar to shiver. "Because my second action as king will be the execution of every descendant of Ahadi still alive!"

Those words were meant to be heard only by Scar – who, needless to say, got very scared – but they were heard also by a lioness. That lioness was Sarabi. Her heart froze in fear for some time, but on the following moment, she stood at her daughter's side, ready to defend her. Bovu could become king if he defeated Scar, but he would never touch a single hair of Shani. Sarabi called Nala with a wave of her tail. The young lioness came to her, and asked: "What happened?"

"Bovu has just told to Scar that he plans on killing every descendant of Ahadi after becoming king."

Nala gasped in surprise, and so did Shani. Nala said: "I didn't know anything! But I swear that, if he tries to lay a paw on Shani, he'll die. Without mercy. He's a king, but he can't fight all of us. And I'm sure not even one Pridelander supports that crazy idea."

"But…" said Shani, suddenly realizing one particular point. "If Bovu is going to do that, Kisasian is in danger…"

"Forget Kisasian at once!" said Sarabi. "He is grown up, he can look after himself!"

"Why do you treat him like trash?" asked Shani, with sad and at the same time furious voice. "He's…."

"He has his own pride to protect him!" said Sarabi. "Those desert lions can protect him."

But she added in mind: "But I admit that I would prefer if Scar would win. We wouldn't have to face Zira's wrath."

She was ready to fight to her last breath for her daughter if Scar lost, what would almost certainly happen. But she actually – for once – hoped that Scar won the fight. She – as all the other members of the pride and the clan – just stared at the lions climbing Pride Rock.

Meanwhile, Zira was extremelly worried, trying to speak with her uncle.

"Uncle, what am I going to do?" she asked. "If Scar loses, Bovu will kill Kisasian and Nuka..."

"You must trust Scar." said Dhalimu, with seemingly calm voice, eventhough he was also fearing for the lives of his nephew-in-law and grandnephews. "Love will find the way."

Zira almost collapsed to the ground – and maybe she would actually have if not for Sparthi and Kira holding her.

"Oh, Great Kings of the Past!" thought Sarabi and Zira at the same time. "Please, help Scar winning that duel!"

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_Well... if someone thought that things couldn't get more complicated, probably that someone got very surprised. Whatever, please, review! I still need opinions!_


	54. Chapter 53: Another type of strength

_Hello again. Here am I, publishing another chapter of my fanfic. I think that this one will finally answer to the question that probably many of you are asking. I hope that you don't get disappointed. Well... now that is over, let's begin. _

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**Chapter 53 – Another type of strength**

Scar climbed to the plateau of Pride Rock, following Bovu, but in fact he was acting almost mechanically, because it seemed that he didn't feel his own body. In fact, he was barely aware of the world around him, while trying to analyze the situation, and thinking on some way to get out of it.

"Let'see." thought Scar. "This lion is much heavier, stronger, and more endurable than I am. So I have almost no hope of winning. There are some ways, though... I can hurt him on his limb and then wait for bloodloss and fatigue to weaken him, before delivering the final blow… or trick him and make him to jump on me, step aside on the last moment, and make him to fall of Pride Rock. Oh… why do I always have to repair the damage done by my family? Why did my father have to kill his? Was it too much of a rogue education that he had? Why my grandfather had to accept a rogue as king? And why my father, instead of Mega? Mega would have been a better king… but if Mega became king, I wouldn't be here… oh, I should just stop thinking about all this things, and focuse all of my mind to think in a way of defeating Bovu."

Scar couldn't tell how much took his walking to the plateau of Pride Rock. Maybe it had been single minutes, but it seemed hours. It seemed that it had been a long time ago when he was with Zira, Kisasian and Nuka for the last time. He just wished to have said goodbye. According to Bovu, that wouldn't be necessary, but the lion had to be crazy if he thought that everyone would just sit and accept his decisions.

After giving a quick look around the place where they would fight, Bovu turned to Scar, and, before allowing him to speak, he said: "Now, tyrant, this is were it will all end. Your tyranny, and my hatred towards your family. This is the final fight."

Scar wasn't hearing Bovu's words at all, more focused on figuring out a way to defeat him, but he got very surprised with what Bovu told next:

"However, I saw that you love your mate and sons very deeply. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so scared when I told you what I will do to your sons. So, I will give you one chance."

Much to the king's surprise, his opponent arched his neck backwards, making it a very easy target. He kept: "I give you one chance to kill me. Try to use it wisely."

Scar prepared to pounce on Bovu, but, before he did it, he noticed an unusual thing. The other lion had his claws full extended, and seemed ready to roll aside on the last moment. It was unlikely that such a heavy male would move quickly, but surely his plan was to give some confidence to Scar, and then dodge aside and kill him.

"I will have to react." thought Scar, stepping back as discretly as he could almost to the western edge of the plateau. "I can't attack him. Let'see what I can do… the cliff is just behind me… if he jumps too high and fails in reaching me, he will surely fall. And if he doesn't fall on his own, I'll give the final push."

Scar was too thin to push a giant lion like Bovu for a long distance, but it would surely be enough to make him fall of the cliff. So, the king just said: "No, you attack first."

Bovu seemed very surprised with his rival's words. Unlike what Scar expected, his opponent didn't atttack. Just stood there, looking carefully at any gesture made by him. Finall, he said: "Being polite, tyrant? What happened? Has the fear of dying changed you?"

"Who told him that I'm a tyrant?" thought Scar, confused. "Does he just think it because my father killed his? Oh… it would be so easier to be able to reason with him! But he doesn't hear reason."

On the following moment, Scar's eye focused on any movement of Bovu, who had crouched, seemingly ready to pounce.

"That's it." thought Scar. "Jump. When you jump, I'll dodge, and throw you off here, and make you pay for what you've done to Zira!"

But it seemed that Bovu wouldn't pounce, yet, because he still wanted to speak more.

"Are you afraid of attacking, tyrant?" asked Bovu. "You are even more coward than your father. But don't worry, I can attack first. I won't kill you in one blow. I want you to suffer as much as I did before killing you."

"Will you just jump?" thought Scar, who was in fact rather nervous.

Bovu crouched even more, but, just before beginning the supposed jump, he said: "And by the way, don't worry about Zira. I'll take good care of her. After all, she's mother of my youngest cubs. She'll even be still the queen, if she wants."

Scar's rage at that sentence was so much that he almost pounced on Bovu. But he had to keep his mind cool, in order to keep thinking about the plan. Suddenly, the grey lion attacked. But, unlike what Scar thought, Bovu ran to him, instead of jumping to him. His movements were agile, even too agile for a lion of that size, but he wasn't running at full speed. Whatever were like his movements, it was much easier to stop and gain basis when running rather than when jumping.

"Crap! Probably he guessed my plan!" thought Scar. "If I dodge, he's running slowly enough to follow me! If I stand, he'll shove me hard enough to fall from Pride Rock! I hate fighting lions that are strong and smart at the same time!"

Trying to stop Bovu from squashing his throat with a single bite, Scar dodged aside. But Bovu stopped, just before arriving to the northern edge of the plateau, and, lifting his right paw, and slashed Scar's side with full-extended claws. The scarred lion roared in pain, and tried to retribute the blow. His claws opened four paralel red cuts on Bovu's shoulder, but the lion acted like if he didn't feel the pain caused by the wounds. He looked at Scar, almost as if to prove that, and said: "You're too weak, tyrant! Your hit doesn't hurt me. Will you try again, or may I attack now?"

Scar would have tried to inflict a new blow, but he had to stop for some moments to prevail the ache in the four wounds that had opened on his side. Meanwhile, he tried to think of a good plan to defeat Bovu. But there wasn't even one at sight. Bovu currently seemed too smart to be tricked by ordinary traps, and he was abnormally agile for such a big lion.

"Let's see…" thought Scar. "He doesn't allow himself to be tricked by my trap. I could try to advance with the plan of hurting him and wait for bloodloss to do it's job, but I'm also wounded, and probably I'll be more tired that him if I manage to hang on. Even fighting with Mufasa wasn't this hard! Oh… why do I have to be so weak? So weak… yes, that's the key to defeat him!"

Scar even chuckled. He had just come up with the perfect idea to defeat his opponent. This trap usually worked with big and strong lions. Maybe it would work with Bovu as well. The biggest problem was that the rogue was strong enough to kill him with a single blow on a vulnerable spot, like the head or the neck. But, if Bovu indeed wanted to make him to suffer, probably he wouldn't do that. For some time at least. But the current problem was that the grey lion didn't like his opponent's reaction.

"Are you laughing, tyrant?" asked Bovu. "Laugh while you can, I'll be the last to laugh!"

And Bovu just pounced on Scar again. Scar tried to dodge, but his movement was too slow for Bovu's agility. The big lion pressed the king down, but then, came one thing that seemed to have missed the calculations of both lions. They rolled a little bit, almost to the eastern edge of the plateau.

"That's it!" thought Scar. "If I manage to make him to drop me on the right moment, he'll roll beyond the edge, and fall!"

But it seemed too good to be true, because, just before they fell beyond the edge, Bovu placed one paw firmly on the ground, and both lions stopped rolling. Then, the king thought it could be the right moment to another technique. If he was quick enough, maybe he would be able to inflict one attack on the rogue's belly, possibly cutting off the arteries. Once again, victory had passed close to Scar, but, one more time he failed in grabbing it, because Bovu's actions were too fast. While placing one paw on Scar's throat, he slashed Scar's side again with the free paw. Scar roared in pain again.

"If hurts, doesn't it?" asked Bovu, baring his teeth. "But this is nothing compared to the pain that your family and hyenas caused me!"

Bovu stepped on Scar's belly hard, and the brown furred lion roared in pain again. The grey lion hid the claws of his left paw, and gave several smacks on Scar's face. Scar barely reacted, besides moaning in pain. He would have roared, but now it seemed that every single movement of his body costed him deep pain. In fact, it hurted so much that Scar wasn't sure anymore where Bovu had hit him or not.

"Look at me!" roared Bovu, with the hatred on his voice at a surprising level. "I want to hear you begging for mercy!"

Bovu walked backwards, but Scar barely reacted. After being at a relatively large distance – almost on the northern edge of the plateau, to be exact - the giant rogue stopped, and looked at the scarred lion, who barely moved. Scar opened his eyes, and looked at Bovu, with a hateful look. He thought: "I may be weak, but I won't beg for mercy. I'm a king, I must stand for my title, and, most importantly, I must stand for my mate! And my cubs! I won't allow you to kill them!"

Finally, he looked up, and, carefully, because of his pain, stood on his four paws. Barely, but he stood. He looked at his opponent, and coughed blood that had flown from his nose to his mouth. Scar felt like if he could collapse of pain at any moment, but he couldn't allow himself to do it. Somehow, his brain managed to block the coming wave of pain, and he stood, looking at Bovu.

The grey lion advanced to Scar again, but this time, he walked more slowly. Scar just stood there, ready for the blow that would come. And it happened. Bovu again slashed his shoulder. But Scar, somehow, didn't feel pain anymore. He needed to keep a cool mind in order to carry his plan forward, and defeat Bovu. The other lion just smacked him again, and the king fell into the ground. If the smack had been strong, Scar would have fallen by the southern edge of the plateau, but it seemed that Bovu didn't want to push him off the cliff. So, Scar just fell into the ground, eventhough almost without coming out of that place.

"Pathetic." growled Bovu. "You aren't even fighting. You can't even react. You're worse than I first thought. When I came here, I was couting on a mighty king, that would make for a good challenge, but you… you're barely worthy to kill. But don't have illusions, because I'll do it! The fact that you are weak and helpless doesn't change the fact that you are Ahadi's son. So, prepare to die."

And then, came the part that wasn't in Scar's calculations. Bovu made a hit directly at his nape. When the rogue's giant paw hit his head, everything seemed to black out for him.

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"LET ME GO!" shouted Zira. "LET ME GO! I MUST HELP MY MATE!"

"RELEASE ME, RIGHT NOW!" said Kisasian with a loud and commanding voice. "AS PRINCE OF THE PRIDE LANDS, I ORDER YOU TO RELEASE ME!"

It had been a problem. The problem was namely to keep Scar's mate and sons under control, and prevent them from standing in the duel. Nuka was easy to control: all what they had to do was to hold him by the scruff. Rama was doing that. Meanwhile, Arista and Uzuri were holding Zira, while Sparthi and Dhalimu held Kisasian.

"My dear…" said Arista, with sad voice. "I know it is hard, but it is the way it has to be. Only Scar can defeat Bovu, because only he is the king."

"Scar will get killed if we don't help him!" roared Zira desperately. "I must help him!"

"Me too!" insisted Kisasian. "He can't kill my dad!"

"You can't have any idea of how I understand you." thought Arista, while trying to hold Zira. "In fact, I barely know what is making me to hold you firmly, my dear… except maybe the sense of duty. Or the fear that this huge brute kills you as well. But two would have better chances… but it is Scar's duty! Only Scar can beat him. It is the hard truth.

"You must believe in Scar." said Dhalimu. "Both of you. I know it is hard, but it's also the only solution. You must believe in him."

"But can we actually believe in him?" thought Dhalimu just after he finished his sentence. "I mean… we all know of Scar's good qualities, but brute strength never was one of them. And, on that fight, it will be the decisive factor. I'm surprised that Scar is still alive… I mean, he must be, otherwise Bovu would have come down already! Oh… why everything has to be so hard in this world?"

Whatever it happened, Arista's and Dhalimu's vain calming talking was useless. Both Zira and Kisasian kept struggling to get free, while their holders kept struggling to keep them trapped.

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Scar opened his eyes very slowly, and, after a quick look around, he realised that he was still on the Pride Rock plateau. He could see Bovu walking in circles in front of him, as if the rogue waited for something. Scar tried to get up, and, much to his surprise, he did it painlessly, like if his wounds had healed instantly. But then, Scar looked behind, and noticed something. His own body was lying just behind him, perfectly immobile, almost as if it would fall by the southern edge of Pride Rock Just on that moment, the king recalled the last attacked that he had received from Bovu: a blow on the nape. So… was he dead? Looking once again at the paw that he waved in front of his eyes, Scar understood that it was the only possible explanation: it seemed that his body wasn't solid anymore. It seemed the truth. He was dead.

Bovu was still walking in circles in front of the unconscious body, in the same waiting attitude. But why would he wait, if he had won the duel? Was he waiting for someone to come. He had already won, he would be king… he would kill Zira, Kisasian, and Nuka…

"I failed!" sobbed Scar, collapsing to the ground of the plateau. "I failed… he will kill Kisasian, and Nuka… I…"

"You didn't fail." sounded one new voice. "Yet."

The blackmaned lion looked around, trying to find out who had spoken. He knew that voice far too well, but he never hoped to hear it again, at least for a long period. Suddenly, right in front of him, appeared a shape… a lion's shape. It was...

"Grandpa?" asked Scar, confused.

"Yes, Taka." replied Mohatu, walking to his grandson.

But the old lion seemed very different from what Scar recalled. Or, maybe better to say, he was still the same, but in a completely different way. His body was glowing, as if it was made of light. Bovu kept unaltered by Mohatu's sudden appearance, which made Scar to assume that only he could see his dead grandfather. And then, it came. The thin lion ran to his grandfather, pouncing on him like a little cub, and hugged him. Eventhough the sadness of being unable to save his mate and cubs was big, the sudden joy of seeing his grandfather again was as big as this sadness. The former king chuckled, and hugged his grandson as well. Scar felt something special in that hug, like some kind of warmth, that seemed to give him strength and comfort at the same time.

But then, Scar stopped his hug, and said: "I failed… grandpa… I failed… I'm weak… just like my father and Mufasa have told…"

"You aren't weak." replied Mohatu. "Physically, you are weak, but that isn't the only kind of strength. There is another kind of strength. Like the one that comes from the will of protecting our beloved ones. You demonstrated to have it many times. When you protected Zira, when you protected your son… when you managed to run your kingdom in this drought…"

"But what it cares?" sobbed Scar. "I'm dead! And it's all because of my father! If he hadn't done what he did, this Bovu wouldn't have come to look for revenge, he wouldn't have killed me, and he wouldn't want to kill Kisasian and Nuka, and…"

"First, you are not dead." said Mohatu decisevely. "You are just knocked out. That is what Bovu is waiting. He is waiting for you to wake up, because he doesn't want to kill you while you are unconscious. And second… don't judge Ahadi too hard. He has lived a very hard life. Many of his beloved ones were killed by things that were beyond his control, and he hasn't accepted that. I can't tell you more, I just ask you for not to judge your father without knowing everything."

"And so?" asked Scar. "What is the everything?"

"I can't tell you." replied Mohatu. "But know one thing: Ahadi and Mufasa wanted to come here as well. They also wanted to support you, but well… they were also rather… fearful of coming to you. So, they have asked me to pass you this message. That, on this moment, they are supporting you with all their hearts."

"But… how can that be?" asked Scar, confused. "If I am not dead… what difference will it make?"

"All the difference." replied the black-maned lion. "You still have the chance to defeat Bovu. For now, it is only that what you must do, if you want to protect your mate and cubs. As for what will come… what has to come, will come, and you will have to face it when the time comes. But, before that, don't get worried with it."

Scar wanted to ask one last question, the one that worried him the most at the moment, but his grandfather, sensing what he would say, interrupted him: "Love will give you strength. Just keep that on mind."

"Love will give me strength." thought Scar, as firmly as he could.

"That's the idea." said Mohatu, smiling.

But Scar noticed that his grandfather's image was fading. He said: "Alright. You will soon awake. You must keep in mind one thing: love will give you strength."

Scar wanted to say: "Don't leave me!" but those words seemed unwilling to leave his mouth. However, once again, Mohatu smiled, and said: "I won't leave you. Remember also another thing: Even those who are gone…"

Mohatu's image faded almost completely, but he still completed: "…are with us as we go on."

And then, his grandather's image disappeared at all. Scar could see nothing. But he felt that it was the proper time to return to his body.

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When he opened his eyes, the first thing that he felt was a huge wave of pain. In fact, he wasn't sure of how much time had passed since the time when he had been knocked out. It could have been from a single instant to a long moment. Logically, it should have to be a long moment, because his talking with his grandfather was relatively big, but would actually Bovu wait for a big moment for Scar to wake up, without forcing him? The answer came when Scar felt four new wounds opened on his hind leg. Bovu had tried to force him up at least one time. Overall, Scar was bleeding from more than ten serious wounds. He would survive the wounds, but only if he managed to win the duel. That was the only important part. He was severely beaten up, but there was still one chance to defeat Bovu. Keeping in mind what his grandfather had told him, he whispered: "Love will give me strength."

The words didn't come out like that, because Scar's mouth was almost completely filled with blood, but the sound caught Bovu's attention. He turned his head to Scar, and said: "So, tyrant, you already woke up? Good. I was getting impatient. One moment more, and I would have killed you without waiting for you to wake up."

"I guess I should be grateful to your patience." thought Scar ironically. "Only because of it, I will have a chance to protect my mate and cubs!"

Scar tried to move his paws and get up, but his pain and fatigue were too much for him to do it. Bovu burst in laughter. It almost sounded as a laughter of relief, but had some hatred in it. Scar looked at him, and thought: "Yes… you're confident… that's what I was expecting."

Bovu had waited for his opponent to wake up for some moments. He wasn't exactly sure of how much time it had took for Scar to wake up – possibly it had been only some seconds, but, in the state of impatience that he was, he had tried to wake up the scarred lion one time by smacking his back paw. It didn't work, so Bovu just decided to wait. It would be easier - and surely safer – to do it, but it would be too painless.

"A murderer and tyrant like you doesn't deserve to die painlessly!" thought Bovu, during the waiting.

So, he decided to wait some time for Scar to wake up, and even make an attempt to wake him up, but, if Scar actually took too much time to wake up, Bovu would kill him anyway. After all, he could have put Scar in a comatose state, but without killing him. But, because some moments of waiting proved that Scar indeed woke up on his own, Bovu decided to end it. He had waited too much years.

The grey lion walked to his enemy very slowly, as if he was afraid that, from one moment to the other, it would everything disappear, as if it was all a dream. Because that was what the whole situation seemed: a dream. After so many years, he would finally avenge his father. Finally, he and Shimo would have a pride. Sure, it would bring a lot of responsibilities to rule it, but Bovu was feeling ready to take all of that, if it meant to finally have avenged his father. Because the goal was avenge his father, not kingship. In fact, he would have prefered if he could avenge his father without the burden of kingship coming next. But, as he had told many times to his son, and as he once heard: "For every good we must pay dear."

Scar was still lying on the ground of Pride Rock, unable to move. His attempts to get up had proved to be vain.

"Well then…" began Bovu, facing Scar directly in the eyes. "Do you have any last words, for me to transmit to your family, or may I kill you right now?"

Scar didn't reply, keeping as much of his mind focused on a possible way to defeat Bovu.

"No?" asked Bovu, with ironical voice. "Well then, I'll tell them that you had no last words left to them. They will be disappointed, but like I said: don't worry, your sons will join you shortly."

"We'll see about that!" thought Scar. "We'll see who will win! You or me!"

Scar tried the only thing that was possible on the moment: a suicide charge to push Bovu off Pride Rock. He wouldn't have another chance. He pounced on his opponent with full speed, drived by a strength that he never knew to have. Maybe that strength was being gived to him by the Ancient Ones. Maybe it was just the result of the inspiration given by his grandfather.

Whatever it was, the result turned out to be the same. He managed to land on Bovu, who failed to react to Scar's jump. It had been too fast. On that moment, Scar began inflicting the hardest blows that he had on Bovu, slowly pushing off the other lion to the western edge of Pride Rock. Much to the surprise of both, all of Scar's attacks managed to inflict serious cuts on Bovu's neck, in spite of the other lion's long and thick mane. Maybe it was extremely luck for Scar, or maybe it was still some support of the unknown strength. Whatever it was, Scar was holding Bovu's back as hardly as possible, having dropped the idea of the suicidal charge, while inflicting more attacks on the rogue's neck as fiercely as he could. Now, he just wanted to kill his opponent.

After a long moment of hitting Bovu's neck, Scar dropped it, trying to watch the damage. It had worked out. Bovu's neck arteries were seriously damaged, and his blood was flowing out. Not that Scar could see a torrent of blood, - the other lion's mane was stopping it - but he noticed some different colour in the places where he had hit. The rogue had no chance to survive. But then, surprisingly, Bovu managed to gagg: "I may die… but I will take you with me!"

Scar didn't understand what Bovu meant. After all, he was bleeding out to death and choking at the same time. Besides, on the position when Scar was, Bovu couldn't make any efficient attack. But soon the scarred king proved himself to be wrong, because he felt the grey lion crouching, as if he was ready to jump with his full might. But, on that direction, there was only one place to where he would jump.

"He is planning… to jump from Pride Rock?" thought Scar, suddenly terrified.

To Bovu, it wouldn't make much of a difference, because he was already doomed, but if he jumped with Scar grabbing him, they would die both. And for Scar, it would make much of a difference. He couldn't leave his mate, and cubs, and pride. They needed him.

"I may be doomed…" thought Bovu, almost jumping. "But not without wiping out at least one descendant of Ahadi!"

But Bovu didn't see one important failure on his plan. Maybe it was because of despair that he didn't think of it. Maybe it was because his mind wasn't as bright as before with some blood drained out. But Scar saw one way of getting free. Just after Bovu jumping with his full might, the king tried to push himself off Bovu. The brown lion fell heavily on the plateau. Because Bovu had jumped directly from it's edge, and he was already in mid-air when Scar dropped him, the king fell on a place where the front part of his body hadn't a basis anymore. Fortunately, Scar had quick reflexes, and a surprisingly fresh mind, even in those moments. Before he lost completely whatever basis that he could have and fell behind, Scar rolled aside, getting lied down on his belly. The front part of his body still had no basis, but, being on that position, it was relatively easy for Scar to crawl backwards with his hind paws.

"It can't be…" thought Bovu, while he was seeing the ground coming closer to him with each passing moment, and after understanding that Scar had released him. "I failed… I failed… I didn't avenge my father… I'm… worthless… I left Shimo alone…"

Bovu understood that he was falling beyond the edge of Pride Rock, and he was going straight into a pride. In fact, into two prides. The Pridelanders and the Golden Pride. Both were seeing him falling like if they were hypnotized.

"Oh… I failed. I failed in releasing a pride from a tyrant…" thought Bovu with fading mind. "What may happen to Shimo now? Nala… Pridelanders… dad… can you forgive me?"

His body fell on the dirt with a surprising speed, but Bovu didn't even feel it, because, on the moment before his body touched the ground, he lost his consciousness completely, and it wasn't long before he lost his life as well.

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_Well... what did you think? I know, this chapter was probably disturbing for many of you, but this was the only possible outcome. Scar could not be killed now... and Bovu's grudge was too deep. It was the only possible choice. Believe me, it was more painful to me than to you. Now, PLEASE! REVIEW! I still need opinons!_


	55. Chapter 54: The clan's hunger

_Well, here it is another chapter for you. After the dramatic ending of the last... things aren't exactly going better... but whatever, I honestly hope that you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 54 – The clan's hunger**

For some moments, nobody managed to react at Bovu landing right in front of them. It had been a too big surprise. After all, he had jumped from the plateau of Pride Rock, and even managed to land beyond the western edge of the huge lion keep. What reason could he have to commit suicide? And why wasn't he having the upper-hand, being the bigger and stronger of the two? Of course, most of those lions were relieved seeing that their king had won, but, nonetheless, Scar's victory was very surprising.

Zira was the first to recover after the first shock of seeing the grey lion falling from the sky. She managed to come closer to Bovu, and managed to understand that, even if he hadn't jumped from the plateau, because he had his neck arteries cut off. Those wounds had been inflicted by Scar's paws. Her mate had won. That fact became obvious when Scar's roar sounded over Pride Rock and the Pridelands. According with the Rule of Challenge, after a duel for kingship, the winner roared. It the challenged king won, the roar was to announce that he was still king. If the one that challenged the king won, the roar was to announce that there was a new king.

"We are free!" thought Zira, feeling a crushing wave of relief. "Scar won! We are released from that brute!"

That was the truth. But, in spite of the huge relief of seeing that Bovu was dead, Zira was unable to repress some sadness. It was hard to understand why: after all Bovu had been nothing but a brute to her, at least on their meeting about four months ago. However, it wasn't that Bovu the one that Zira was mourning. She was mourning her cubhood friend, the one that had played with her and supported her many times when they were young. Maybe she was also mourning the father of her youngest cubs. After all, it had only been because of him that Scar found a proper heir.

But she wasn't the only one taking Bovu's death hard. Kovu was lied down under his father's paw, releasing some tears, while Vitani - who, so far, had seemed unable to accept her father's death - tugged on Bovu's ear and tried to pull it, as if she tried to wake him up. Seeing that Bovu was unable to react, the young lioness cub eventually released him, and followed her brother's example, crying nestled against the huge lion's body.

The reaction of the Pridelanders was somewhat different. Bovu's death affected them less: after all, they had barely known him, except for some minutes when he came to fight Scar. But at least, if he won, onee problem would be solved.

"Whew!" thought Shani, with a relief sigh. "At least, Kisasian won't be killed now."

Sarabi had a rather simmilar thought: "Well, I can't say that I'm not at least slightly relieved for Bovu being dead… at least, he won't kill Shani now. But, if he defeated Scar, at least that problem would be solved! If Scar was dead, we would be able to leave! But I guess that for now, I should just feel happy that Shani won't be killed."

Nala was the Pridelander who was feeling more affected with Bovu's death. She was the only one knowing him better, but she was also fearful about another fact.

"What am I gonna do?" thought the lioness. "I asked Shimo's dad to come to help us, and, in the end, he died! What will Shimo think of me? I didn't want this! In fact, I don't think I ever wanted someone dead! Speaking of Shimo… why isn't he here? Is he dead? What have I done? I didn't want this! In fact, I don't think I know what I would want! Except that I want Simba back… oh, Simba, why have you allowed on this? I thought you and your dad were watching us from upthere!"

On that moment, Hanja, who during the first moments had just stood paralysed, looking to his cousin's body, began crying. Imani tried to hug him and comfort him, but it wasn't easy for her to stand the massive weight of the lion. Nobody could exactly understand what Hanja was saying, but there were some words becoming obvious: "It's my fault! It's all my fault! He died because of me…"

"He didn't die because of you." said Imani, licking her mate's face. "You didn't kill him."

"If we had chased him away, at least he would be still alive!" sobbed the lion. "But, because we brought him here, he died!"

It was rather strange seeing Hanja taking his cousin's death so hard when they had only seen for less than a day, after spending ten years without seeing each other. Hanja had stopped speaking, but his loud sobs were still heard.

In spite of that, there was a strange kind of freezing silence in the air. A problem had placed itself, and nobody had an actual idea of how to solve it. The first with enough courage to place the question loudly was Sparthi.

"What will we do with him?" asked the sandymaned lion.

With the sound of those words, Hanja stopped crying, and looked on the other lion with a strange freezing stare. Sparthi even felt intimidated, although he didn't' show it. The brown lion said: "I think that it is quite obvious. We'll bury him!"

That was obvious. All of the pridemembers there agreed that, in spite of what he could have done, Bovu deserved to be buried. All the older members of the Golden Pride still reminded him when he was a cub, and it had been a shock – bigger to some than for others, but each member of the Desert Pride that had Zira's age or more was affected at seeing that Bovu had returned so different. Of course, Bovu deserved a funeral, but how?

It wouldn't be good to bury him in the Pride Lands – after all, according to the little that they knew of Bovu, the place had caused him great suffering, it wouldn't be fair to bury him there. The ideal would be to take him to their homeland, the Desert Lands – or Golden Sands, like the place was sometimes called – and place him on a funeral stone that existed on the top of their cave, the Golden Massif, and then wait for a sandstorm to come and give the dead pridemember back to the desert, where he or she belonged. But… did Bovu actually belong to the desert? After all, he and his parents had been released from any oath about ten years before, maybe Bovu didn't actually feel that he belonged to the Desert. Besides, going from the Pride Lands to the Golden Sands took some time, about five days, and it was risky to cross the desert during a Great Drought, specially carrying a lion.

"In the Outlands." said Hanja eventually. "We will bury him in the Outlands."

The other lions looked with surprise, but Hanja explained: "During our way here, he told me that he lived on the Outlands for about seven years, and he seemed to already consider it his home."

"Well, at least he should feel rather attached to that place, I think it is the best solution." said Sparthi thoughtfully. "Taking him to the Golden Sands would be too hard, and it is unfair to bury him on a place where he suffered so much. After all, his father's death affected him."

In fact, it seemed the best solution about what to do with Bovu's body.

But it seemed that someone had a different idea of how to solve that problem.

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During all the duel, the hyenas had kept as far as possible from Pride Rock. They didn't watch the duel, but they waited at any moment to hear Bovu's roar announcing his kingship. After all, they didn't believe at all that Scar could win the duel – he was too small and too weak to defeat the giant lion that Bovu was. After hearing Bovu's roar, the plan was the simplest – but also probably the most efficient according to the situation – possible. Run for life. After all, Bovu wouldn't surely forgive them for having eaten his mate, and there were too much lions for a clan to resist. The only way of surviving was to run as quickly as possible. Some hyenas even had suggested that Bovu would end up being a positive thing to them. And their arguments had some logical basis. They were perfectly aware that Bovu would order to kill them, and also that Pridelanders wouldn't have any problem with following that order, but there was one crucial detail: to be killed, they would have to be caught. To avoid being caught, it was only necessary to escape. And, after escaping, they would finally be able to do what Scar had never allowed them: to leave Pride Rock, and look for some place with much food and water for the whole clan.

But, much to their surprise, what happened was that Bovu fell from Pride Rock, and Scar was the one who roared proclaiming to be still king.

The hyenas were having mixed feelings about the outcome of that duel. Of course, they were feeling relieved seeing that Bovu was the one who lost the duel, but at least, if he won, they would finally be able to leave that land, and look for a better place to live, assuming that they all escaped. Because they were rather far from Pride Rock, if they burst in run on the right moment, probably the pride would have from little to nule chances of killing them all. Now that Scar had won the duel, the hyenas were free from being killed, but now they wouldn't be able to leave Pride Rock, and they would have to keep helping the lions. And, besides of the single thought of it making them feel rather uncomfortable, if the drought lasted for much longer, they would be in serious trouble. And now, they were also feeling a little bit confused about what to do with Bovu. But, in the state of hunger that the hyenas had, didn't take too much time before one of them finally having one idea of what to do with that rogue.

The whole clan began approaching the fallen lion. All the hyenas had a famished expression, with wide open mouths, and their tongues dropping. Drool was constantly falling from the scavengers' jaws. Both prides noticed it, and didn't take too much time for them to understand the intentions of the hyenas.

Zira stepped between Bovu's body and the clan and asked with decisive voice: "What do you think you are doing?"

"Going to eat him." replied Shenzi with casual voice. "Why, is there a problem with that?"

Zira didn't know what amazed her the most, if the clan's intentions or the tune that the hyena used to express them. Whatever it was, the amazement made her like paralyzed for some moments, that the hyenas used to get even closer to Bovu.

But, much to their surprise, Kovu and Vitani tried to assume a defensive position, stepping between the clan and their father. It sounded rather paradoxal – after all, the cubs weren't still developed, they could barely walk. And even if they could walk, they were yet too small to make a difference against even a single hyena, so they didn't stand a chance against a whole clan. Whatever happened, all the lions and hyenas there felt forced to admire the courage of the young cubs. But it didn't take too much time before the hyenas recovered from the surprise.

"Now, kids, get out of the way." said Shenzi, while she carefully pushed Vitani aside, and Banzai did the same to Kovu.

The two hyenas thought that in fact neither of the cubs had the intention of protecting their father, they were just playing. But they proved to be wrong, when Vitani bit Shenzi's right front paw with all her strenght, and Kovu tried to plunge his small claws into Banzai's left front paw. Of course, none of the cubs had enough strength to really hurt the hyenas, but the two scavengers got much more damaged that they would think. Besides, the intention behind those gestures, alongside the stare on the cubs' eyes was very clear. They weren't playing, they were actually trying to protect their fallen father.

"I will teach you respect!" shouted Shenzi, lifting her paw to hit the young lioness cub, while Banzai opened his jaws at the brown male cub.

But, before they could even react, Zira pounced on them, and with a single smack, left Shenzi knocked out. On her next move, she grabbed Banzai by the neck, and threw him to the rest of the clan, making three hyenas to fall on the ground. Some more hyenas prepared to jump on Zira, but Kisasian and Arista jumped in, and the scavengers were forced to temporarially step back. That gave enough time for all the Golden Pride, soon joined by Pridelanders, step between the dead body of Bovu and the hyenas. For once, the two prides were truly acting together. Eventhough each one of them had different intentions with killing the hyenas, the two prides were truly cooperating. That was good for a start.

But they would be forced to cooperate further, because the hyenas were also advancing, ready to fight for food. It would make both prides to unite again. However, just before the fight began, a surprisingly strong and decisive voice shouted: "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

All the lions and hyenas turned aside, noticing Scar, who only now had arrived. After all, he was still tired after the fight with Bovu, and his wounds were serious, tiring him even more. He was also feeling a rather big pain with every step he took, both because of aching wounds and Bovu's smacks, but, when he saw that a fight was about to begin between his three main groups of subjects, he felt like if all the tiredness moved away, at least until the action of stopping the fight was finished.

"Those hyenas… want…" began saying Zira, almost as if the word was too hard to say.

Shenzi, who had regained her senses shortly before, said: "We wanted to eat that Bovu. Do you have any problem?"

For a few seconds, Scar didn't even move, or spoke. But the king's silence was possibly more scary than every kind of roar from rage. Then, Scar advanced to Shenzi, as if his eyes were releasing fire. The overall effect was scary, and nobody could actually blame Shenzi for walking several steps back, in an attempt to get away from the surprisingly enraged lion. He began speaking with freezing voice: "I think that I explained you and your clan the rules of living on the Pride Lands. Not to hurt any lion… otherwise, sudden death. Remember that?"

"That rule was valid only when it came to members of your pride!" said Shenzi. Her voice was clearly quivering with fear, but everyone there were surprised that she still had enough bravery to talk with the enraged king. She kept: "I know that now there are two prides, but Bovu isn't part of any of them anymore! He is just a rogue!"

"I forbid you to eat any lion." said Scar, with freezing voice.

In fact, he didn't have any personal reason to stop the hyenas from eating Bovu, but, with the dead rogue being the father of his heir, Scar couldn't help but to feel that they had some sort of connection. Besides, if he broke the rule once, he would most surely be eventually forced to break other rules.

As if to apologize, Shenzi said: "I just thought that we could eat him, since he's a rogue!"

"You thought?" asked Scar, with angry voice. "Let's see what your clan will think after your next punishment!"

All the hyenas there froze in fear. Punishment was now almost a common part of their lives: they had tried mutiny several times, and from all those times they failed in it. In vain attempts to make sure that they wouldn't repeat, Scar always punished them after their attempt. But, this time, to make sure that they wouldn't actually rebel again, he decided to make an even harder punishment. No wonder the hyenas were so scared.

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After delivering the punishment to the hyenas, Scar finally could allow himself to be busy with the other thing that troubled him on the moment. He turned to Hanja, and asked: "Well… have you decided what you will do with the body of your cousin? I mean, I know you will bury him, but where?"

"On the Outlands." replied Hanja. "He told me that he has lived there for many years, probably he considers it as his home."

"Alright then." said Scar. "You may take him and bury him. If anyone volunteers to help him…"

Sparthi supported Hanja on the side, and they both began carrying Bovu's body towards the Outlands. Meanwhile, Scar was about to collapse from tiredness. In an attempt of not showing his weakness, he managed to transform his fell in some kind of sitting down very quickly. But Zira understood that her mate was actually tired, what wasn't surprising, after a day like that. The lioness said: "You are exhausted, my dear. I will take you to our cave…"

"I may help." said Kisasian, lying down as if inviting Scar to climb to him. But the king refused. It would be too embarassing, an old lion like him having to be carried by his son. Scar even chuckled at the thought, but he refused anyway.

"No, son, thank you." said Scar. "So far, I believe I can walk by my own paws."

Whatever, Kisasian and Zira supported his sides, while the lioness said: "Uh… uncle?"

"Yes, Zira?" asked Dhalimu.

"Could you please get some of your herbs and take care of Scar's wounds?" asked the lioness.

"Of course." said the old whitefurred lion. "Just wait some time."

Dhalimu went to the place where he normally kept his herbs, while Kisasian and Zira kept helping Scar to go to the cave.

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When Bovu woke up, he looked around, trying to figure out where he was. And what he saw rather amazed him. Looking below him, he understood that he was several metres above the place where he had died… but it seemed that he wasn't in the other world. Because everything was the same. He could see Pride Rock below him.

"I think I should see this at a closer look." thought Bovu.

Just as he thought that, it seemed as if his eyes zoomed in on the scene. He saw the Golden Pride… he saw Nala… he saw Pridelanders… but, what amazed him the most, was that he saw his own body being carried by Hanja and Sparthi.

Only then, he unavoidably realised that he was dead, and that he was looking on all the events from his spiritual body. There was no other possibility, after having both neck-arteries cut off and falling from a height of dozens of metres. But then…. Ahadi's descendant had won… he had lost…

"Why?" thought Bovu, shouting to the sky. "Why this had to happen to me? I demand an explanation right now!"

"Alright then." sounded one voice. "You will have an explanation."

Bovu looked aside, on the direction where the voice had come. He jumped backwards, ready to fight, eventhough he probably had from little to nothing to fear, now that he was dead.

And suddenly, two ghosts appeared in front of him, almost at the same time. It took some seconds for Bovu to completely recognize the ghosts. They were…

"Jambazi?" asked the grey lion, when he managed to recover from his amazement. "Nduli?"

"That's right." said Jambazi, coming closer to his cousin.

"It's good to see you." said Nduli. "Even in… those circunstances."

"What do you mean with those circunstances?" roared Bovu.

Eventhough he had died, he still felt a huge wave of rage. His rage had been directed to Ahadi and his descendants while he was alive, but now, he was dead. And he discovered that two members, to who he had never exactly directed the rage, were there, also dead. And, after all, they were the main guilties.

"Just for your information, if not for you bullying me so much, I would never have left the pride, and my father would never have died!" roared Bovu, barely repressing himself from pouncing on his cousins. "So, it's all your fault! And now you come here with those morale lessons!"

"And you don't even know the worst part." said Jambazi, lowering his head in shame.

"The worst part?" asked Bovu, so surprised that for some moments he even ignored the rage that he was feeling towards his cousins.

"Yes…" said Nduli, also with his head lowered. "It is the truth…"

"Tell me." said Bovu.

"Are you sure that you want to hear?" asked both at the same time.

"YES!" roared Bovu. "I want to know what exactly can be worse than what you did to me! Nothing can be worse!"

But Bovu soon proved himself to be wrong. Jambazi and Nduli told him everything from the very beginning. About what the rogues had done to them. About what they did, that ended up in their father and mother's deaths, and their consequent banishment. About the years that they spent wandering. About their journey to the Pride Lands, planning to take over a pride. About having killed the queen, Uru, and almost having killed an innocent lioness.

"Monsters!" said Bovu, when his cousins finished.

"We've called that to ourselves many times." said Nduli.

"Whatever…" said Jambazi. "Dad and uncle Kadhi sent us here. We were the ones who began all of this… so now we have to take care of you."

"Take care of me?" asked Bovu, amazed. "What do you mean with that? And why can't I see dad, mom, uncle Kizingo, and aunt Ukame? Or Fichwa? Or my youngest son Amini? I want to see them!"

"Well… dad, mom, uncle Kadhi, aunt Abiria, and your mate are on the Other World. And you can't go there, because you are still too connected with the living world." said Nduli.

Nduli's words reminded Bovu of something. About one lion… his current biggest worry… that had stayed on the Earth.

"Shimo!" said Bovu. "He'll get killed if he enters the Pride Lands!"

"That's the problem." said Jambazi. "You are too worried with him…"

"It's natural, I suppose!" roared Bovu. "I'm his father!"

"And about Kovu and Vitani?" asked Nduli. "You don't worry that much with them, and they are your cubs as well."

"Of course I also worry with them!" said Bovu. "But, at least, they are safe under Zira's care! Shimo is all alone!"

"Look, Bovu." said Jambazi sadly. "The best thing we can do is to hope that Shimo obeys your order of not going into the Pride Lands… there's nothing more we can do."

"Can't you do anything to help him?" asked Bovu. "Can't you show up to him and convince him to not to go?"

"Uh…" began Nduli. "No offense meant, but we are not God. We do have some powers, but there are a lot of very strict rules, that we must fulfill."

That fact made Bovu to ask something: "And can't God do anything to help Shimo?"

"Uh…don't you think you're asking too much?." asked Nduli. "Look, I know it sounds strange, but being dead is a hard task. Believe me in that. Well… the only thing we must do now is to wait and watch your son. Come with us."

"What a heck of a help!" growled Bovu.

But, even so, he did the only thing that currently seemed possible and followed his cousins west, to the Green Den.

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_Well... what did you think? Review, please! I still need opinions._


	56. Chapter 55: A lion's innocence

_Hello. Well... after the last chapter, here it comes a new chapter. This chapter is the last one of the "Bovu and Shimo matters" but it opens the way for another important part of the fanfic. The song "Shadowland" is copyrighted to whoever wrote it. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 55 – A lion's innocence**

Sparthi and Hanja returned shortly before the sunset. Both of them were exhausted. When Zira asked them why, Sparthi replied that Hanja had convinced him to drag the heaviest boulders possible to cover Bovu's body.

"It was the only way of making sure that the hyenas wouldn't eat him." replied the black-maned lion when Zira turned her narrowed eyes to him. "If even two lions like us can barely remove those stones, there's no chance that hyenas can."

Initially, the lioness thought that Hanja was exagerating, but she ended up thinking that, after all, maybe that one hadn't been such a bad precaution, because, right after Hanja explained the reason for dragging so heavy stones, she could swear to have heard Shenzi saying: "Crap!"

But she decided to ignore it. At least, now, the problem with Bovu was solved, or at least, on a good way to it. Bovu was dead, Scar, Kisasian and Nuka were no longer under the threat of dying killed by a rogue, and, for the first time, she would be able to sleep rather peacefully.

But, unfortunately, there was one thing that she did not know. Slightly beyond the western border of the Pride Lands, on the Green Den, Bovu's older son was waiting. Shimo had been walking in circles in front the den's entrance for several hours, from time to time trying to check out when his father would arrive.

For many times, he had thought about entering the kingdom instead of just staying there, and waiting for his father. But it was too hard for him to be there, just sitting down in safety, while his father could be facing the worst possible difficulties. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have returned. Unless…

"NO!" shouted Shimo in mind, as forcefully as he could. "He can't be dead! My dad is the best and the strongest, nothing can kill him. But… I think that a little bit of help won't hurt him."

Of course, Shimo was rather fearful that Bovu would get angry at him for disobeying him, but maybe it was better if he did that if Shimo obeyed his orders when it was necessary to disobey.

So, he decided to wait until it was late night. When at that time, he still didn't have news from his father, he walked east, to Pride Rock.

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When he first reached the giant stone where the pride lived, a first glance was enough to realize that something had, forcefully, to be wrong. Because he could still see a whole clan of hyenas sleeping there, outside the rock, but still in the Pride Lands. If his father had won the duel, he surely wouldn't allow the scavengers that had caused so much pain to him to keep there. In fact, no king with a normal mind would allow a hyena-clan to stay in his domain.

"But what happened to my father?" thought Shimo, more and more intrigued. "He didn't return to get me… but he can't have lost! He once defeated an elephant, he wouldn't lose to a lion! Did he forgive the hyenas? But how can he, after what they did to mom? Oh… well, I will just have to sneak up, closer into the cave, and try to find something."

But sneaking up through the middle of hyenas was risky. The scavengers have a very sharp sense of smell, they would surely feel if a lion walked by the middle of them. So, there was only one hope to Shimo. Give a rather big turn around the hyenas, to make sure that he wouldn't be seen by any scavenger that had suddenly woken up, and then, finally, enter Pride Rock by the eastern side. Shimo didn't know if there was any entrance by the eastern side of Pride Rock – in fact, he wasn't even sure where it was the entrance to the cave of the strange stone formation. Maybe the lions and hyenas only slept in the shade of it. But, because Shimo didn't see any lions sleeping around, he decuded that there had to be an entrance somewhere. Probably the hyenas were only sleeping outside because they didn't have enough space with two prides living inside the large rock. And, possibly, because, according to the general belief – at least among lions - hyenas are inferior to lions, they had less right to sleep inside the cave that the two prides.

So, Shimo just walked around Pride Rock, finally going to the eastern entrance. He discovered it, a small hole on the grey wall of the rock, wide and high enough for him to enter, at least if he crouched. But he still felt very uncertain about if he should enter the cave or not. But, if he wanted to gain some clue about what had happened to his father, it was the only way. He still refused to believe that chance… the unthinkable chance.

"Looks like I'm entering right into the lion's den." said Shimo, almost chuckling. He only stopped it because if he made any loud sound, the most certain was to alert the whole pride and the clan, and then he would certainly be killed. Or, what would be even worst, Nala and her pride would be killed with him. Unless he denied to know them or to have helped them. It was the only hope.

But, to avoid incidents, the best would be just to walk inside the cave as silently as he could, for not to wake up anyone. That would be almost a routine for him. After all, having lived on the Outlands for his whole life, Shimo had learned how to scout and sneak extremely well for a lion of his size. Surely, if he was spotted, it wouldn't be easy for him to hide, but, in the darkness of the cave, the main thing was not to make noise. If he avoided that, he wouldn't be detected.

But, once inside the cave, another disappointment awaited for him. Once he placed his head on the giant cave, he indeed saw a lot of lions and lionesses sleeping there. Of course, they couldn't be seen clearly, because the place was very dark, but for Shimo's sharp eyes it was relatively easy to see. And again, it came the main problem: his father wasn't anywhere!

"He isn't sleeping here!" thought Shimo. "But… where could he be? Could he be a prisioner of this pride? No, that's nonsense, my father would never allow himself to be imprisioned! But… what other explanation there can be?"

Shimo left the cave, finally exiting Pride Rock. And, once outside, he decided that there was only one possible solution. If his father wasn't there, and if he hadn't met him during his way to the Green Den… he had gone out somewhere! But where, exactly? They wouldn't surely drive him away back to the Outlands, otherwise, Bovu would have come to warn him. But, if he was not on the Outlands, where could he be?

"There's only one way to know it." thought Shimo. "I must wake up any member of the pride. But who?"

After thinking a little bit, Shimo decided that there was only one member that he could wake up safely. That member was Nala. She was the only one knowing him, so she would be the only one not making enough questions. The only problem was that Nala wasn't visible in the middle of all those lionesses. Shimo would have to look for her very carefully.

So, walking carefully through the middle of all the sleeping lionesses and lions, the young rogue managed to tiptoe 'till Nala. Seen from close, it was clear enough to recognize the lionesses. Finally, he saw her. She was sleeping close to a lioness with tan fur and brown eyes, a lion with golden and brown mane, a lioness very simmilar to her, but with a line of fur paler than on the rest of the body above the nose, and a lion with golden mane. Trying to make sure that he wouldn't wake up anyone – except Nala, obviously, because for she to answer him without waking up it would be necessary that she talked during her sleep – he placed one paw covering his friend's mouth.

The young lioness woke up, rather startled, and ready to bite the limb that was covering her muzzle, but a well-known voice whispered to her ear: "It's me!"

"Shhhimhhh?" asked Nala, but with her mouth covered the words didn't come out clearly.

"What did you say?" whispered the blue eyed lion.

"I shhhid Shimhhhh!" said Nala, but, once again, the words weren't understood by her friend.

"What did you say?" repeated Shimo. But, before Nala replied, the lion noticed that his muzzle was still covering her paw.

"Oh, sorry." whispered the rogue, before moving his paw away from Nala's muzzle.

"I said, Shimo." repeated Nala.

But then, she suddenly got fearful. So, Shimo was there! Had he already discovered his father's death, and came to avenge him, or was he just looking for him? Well, while she didn't discover, the best solution was if Nala told a lie, in an attempt to save her and Shani's necks. Or, better to say, not telling him the whole truth, unless it was necessary. But for that, she needed to ask some questions.

"What are you doing here?" asked Nala, eventhough she thought to know the answer.

"Let's go outside!" whispered Shimo, before walking to the place that he had used to enter the cave.

Nala followed him, and it wasn't for long before she got amazed at how the Outlander managed to sneak between the sleeping felines without even alarming them. Probably, even she, as a lighter and smaller lioness wouldn't be so successful. This ability had to be the result of a hard life in the Outlands.

"He fascinates me." thought Nala. "Probably, we all would have some things to learn with him. Maybe it would have been easier if I could just fall in love with him… oh, but I… I don't know why… but I still have that crazy hope that Simba is alive somewhere, and that we live happily together!"

But she didn't dare to voice those thoughts, as her friend and herself finally sat down on the eastern side of Pride Rock. Then, Shimo looked at her, and, without further cerimony, asked: "Where is my father? Today he came here to help you, and… he didn't return to me… what happened to him?"

The last part of the sentence was said almost sobbing, while some tears appeared on Shimo's eyes. And, looking at the rogue's watery eyes, Nala just couldn't help but to feel like a monster. She had only tried to ask Shimo's father for help, and ended up killing him. But, not only that, she stole from her friend the most important lion of his life. Her sadness was so much that she was about to burst in tears. But, somehow, she managed to hold them back, and said: "Uh… Shimo… your father… went away."

"Went away?" asked the lion, confused. "But where?"

"Uh… he told me that he had to go on a long journey." said the lioness, trying to sound convincing. She had little to nule hopes that it would work out, but it was worth the shot.

"And he didn't help you before going?" asked the young lion. "And he didn't tell me that he would go? He didn't take me with him? Doesn't he care about me anymore?"

"He cares about you…" said Nala, without knowing where she had gotten to get so much courage. It seemed that, on such a situations, it took more courage to lie than to tell the truth. "That's why he didn't tell you. He wanted to save you effort."

"Uh… and where did he go?" asked Shimo hopefully.

"Why do you ask that?" replied the lioness, confused.

"I want to meet him!" said the blue-eyed lion. "I can't leave him to go alone!"

"Uh… what if he gets angry at you?" asked Nala. Finally, she was seeing a faint glimmer of hope to get rid of Shimo. It pained her to do so, but it was the only way.

But Shimo was beginning to get rather suspicious. Because, according to Nala, his father was showing a behaviour that he had never showed before. At least to him. But… why would that be? His father had no reason to abandon him. Unless it was because of the cubs that he left there. Maybe it was because of some kind of threat. Well, in that case, Shimo was ready to find his father, and then they would try to solve the problem.

"I will handle him…" said the lion.

"Well…" said Nala. "He… went northeast."

"Northeast?" asked Shimo.

"Yes, Shimo, northeast." repeated the lioness.

It was all the information that he needed. After a quick "Thanks, Nala", joined by a hug that almost crushed the lioness – not literally – Shimo went northeast. He was still feeling very unsure about why Bovu had left without telling him nothing, but he was ready to find his father.

"I don't know where you are, father." thought Shimo, trying to hold back some sobs. "But I swear, dad, that I will find you!"

For some reason, Shimo's mind didn't manage to accept the simple solution that he was dead. For him, Bovu had always been the best lion in the world, he, all alone, had managed to raise him, protect him from countless dangers… surely a simple lion wouldn't be able to take him down.

Looking at Pride Rock and his friend one last time, Shimo finally left the rock, and started going northeast, in an attempt to look for his father.

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"Uh… that wasn't exactly my idea." said Bovu to his two cousins.

The three lion ghosts had been watching Shimo, trying the best possible to protect him. At least, he was about to leave the Pride Lands unharmed, but also tricked.

"I think it is the best solution possible for the moment." said Nduli. "If he knew that you were dead, probably he would want to avenge you at all cost, without completely analyzing the consequences, and he would end up meeting us here. You don't want that, right?"

"Of course not!" said Bovu, as if it was a personal insult. "I don't want my son to die!"

"Well, then you should consider yourself happy with that solution, Bovu." said Jambazi. "And… for now, the only thing we can do is follow him. If the proper time comes, we will tell him the whole truth, or find some way to it."

His cousins's sentences were seeming too vague, but Bovu had no option besides following them.

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Nala stood still with her eyes focused on the northeastern border, looking at the shape of the lion going northeast, on a journey that probably would end only with his death. The young lioness almost burst in tears again, but then, in the middle of a despair, another hope came. Her short talk with Shimo had given the lioness an idea, and probably the only possible solution for her pride. To leave and find help.

After carefully waking up Sarabi, her mother, and all the Pridelanders – except Uzuri, who stayed in the cave guarding her (adopted) granddaughter Hawaa – they all went to the eastern border of the Pride Lands, trying to discuss the last hope for the pride. Sakia wasn't agreeing too much with the idea, but eventually she decided to go as well. The best would be if they met in the Green Den, but for that, they would have to go west, and there was the risk of waking up the hyenas. So, they went to the eastern border. Nala was rather fearful of that, because it would possibly mean the chance of finding Shimo, but, after all, she had told him to go northeast, not east. It was a slight relief.

When the whole pride was there, they were all in circle, with Nala in the middle, as it normally happened when some member wanted to speak.

"Well then…" began Sarabi, when a noise sounded in the place where they were gathered.

They all looked behind, and noticed Rafiki, on the top of a tree with his stick, and a strange pouch. The pride got a little bit scared on the beginning. How had he known that they were there? Would he tell Scar? Soon, his intentions became obvious, because he just jumped of the tree, went to the gathered pride, and sat down there, saying: "Thanks for waiting for Old Rafiki. Now… I believe we can start."

"Well then." insisted Sarabi. "Nala, you called us all here, because you wanted to tell us something. Am I right?"

"Yes, my lady." said the lioness. "Well… we have tried to get a lion to defeat Scar… but that failed. So, there is only another solution. We must leave… find a sanctuary for us all. We will eventually discover a way to get rid of both hyenas and Golden Pride, but for now, the main issue is leave. We must find a sanctuary."

"But… who will go?" asked Sarafina, curious.

Somehow, she already knew the answer, but yet, she needed to see it confirmed. However, the confirmation wasn't what she expected, because Rafiki said: "The one going for help will be the one chosen by the Great Kings of the Past."

"And… how can we know who the Great Kings of the Past choose?" asked Moyo.

Rafiki replied that question grabbing his pouch, and taking a small stone, looking like an arrow. He took another stone, that looked like a pebble, but was bigger in diameter, and said: "These stones are sacred, they will allow us to guess who will be chosen. We will place the stone that looks like an arrow on the top of this big flat stone, that will be placed on the center of the circle formed by all the Pridelanders present here. Nala, please take your place on the circle."

Nala did as Rafiki told her, and the mandrill said: "Now, I will make the arrow stone to spin, and it will point at the one chosen by the Great Kings of the Past to find help, if that chosen one is here."

Rafiki made the arrow to spin. The eyes of all the Pridelanders watched the stone, so focusely that they even got dizzy from keeping their eyes watching the stone. The stone slowly stopped spinning… and ended up pointing at Nala.

"So, Nala is the one chosen by the Great Kings of the Past to find help." said Rafiki.

There was overall surprise. Nala leaving to find help? The Great Kings had chosen her? Well, it was hard to determine why. And whatever, Sarafina didn't seem willing to let her daughter go, because she said: "Are you sure, Rafiki?"

"We can repeat the test." was the patient reply of the shaman.

The test was repeated two more times, and from those two times the stone pointed at Nala. Moyo, who was also reluctant at leaving his daughter to go away, said that the stones could be too old, and weren't working out properly. Rafiki whacked the lion with his stick, as if that was an insult to his shamanic skills, but to make the will to Moyo, Nala was placed on several different positions on the circle. And, in each one of those positions, the arrow pointed at Nala.

"So, it is settled." said Nala. "I will go to find help."

"And it's only fair." she added in mind. "After my mistake, I must repair it. The Great Kings of the Past are giving me another chance. I must use it. Bovu's death is because of me. I was the one who called him here, and created all that mess around him. If not for me… Bovu would be still alive, and Shimo would have his dad… oh, Simba, what would you think of me if you knew? What are you thinking of me now, if you are watching me from upthere?"

Nala managed to hide her real feelings. After all, if she was going for help, she would have to be brave. However, her family was reluctant in letting her go.

"But… Nala…" said Mheetu. "What if something happens? I can't lose my sister…"

"You will never lose me, Mheetu." said Nala, trying to sound convincing. "Even if something happens, I will always live in all of you, as all of you will always live in me."

"But, Nala…" said Nuru. "What if…"

"I must go." said Nala. "I must go, to find some place where we are safe from this drought, away from this Shadowland."

/"Shadowland" song, from The Lion King Broadway Musical. The lyrics are the same, but I guess the scene is different. I suggest you to try to imagine male voices mixed with the female voices, because here the pride also has males. Capture of the place where the pride is gathered. Nala is again on the centre of the circle made by the Pridelanders and Rafiki. The parts between slashes at the side of the lyrics are translations from Zulu./

Pride and Rafiki:

_Fatshe leso lea halalela /The land of our ancestors is holy/_

_Fatshe leso lea halalela_

/Capture changes to the Pride Lands, that seem even more devastated by the drought at night./

Nala:

_Shadowland_

_The leaves have fallen_

_This shadowed land_

_This was our home_

/We see several captures of trees without branches, a dry river, and cracked ground./

_The river's dry_

_The ground has broken_

_So I must go_

_Now I must go_

/Capture changes again to the place where the pride is gathered, where each member of the pride is hugging Nala. All of them seem fearful of not seeing her again./

_And where the journey may lead me_

_Let your prayers be my guide_

_I cannot stay here, my family_

_But I'll remember my pride_

/The last ones hugging Nala are Moyo and Sarafina. They seemed very reluctant of letting her go. The parenthetical parts are Nala's counterpoint singing./

Pride except Nala:

_Prideland _(_I have no choice_)

_My land _(_I will find my way_)

_Tear-stained _(_Lea halalela_)

_Dry land_

_Take this _(_Take this prayer_)

_With you _(_What lies out there_)

_Fatshe leso _(_Lea halalela_)

/Once again, Nala hugs all the members of the pride, but this time for longer whiles. We no longer hear singing, but the music continues. When she finishes, she tries to go east, but Rafiki stops her./

Chorus: Pride except Nala

_And where the journey may lead you_

_Let this prayer be your guide_

_Though it may take you so far away_

_Always remember your pride_

/Making use of his stick and of some of his strange fruits, Rafiki makes some sacred blessing gestures over Nala's head, while he paints some sacred symbols over her and chants something. Nala is still. Once again, the parenthetical parts are Nala singing./

Pride except Nala:

_Fatshe leso lea halalela_

_Fatshe leso lea halalela _(_Fatshe leso lea halalela_)

/Rafiki stops the sacred blessing gestures, and Nala begins running east, going off-screen. Capture changes to Nala running on the dry savannah, but that capture is only half-opaque, so we see Nala running as if it was over the capture Sarabi, Sarafina, Moyo, the rest of the pride and Rafiki looking somewhere. We can assume that it is the direction where Nala is running./

Pride except Nala:

_And where the journey may lead you_

_Let this prayer be your guide_

_Though it may take you so far away_

_Always remember your pride_

/Capture changes to Nala's face. We see her eyes filled with tears, eventhough from the background we can assume that she is running faster than before. Once again, the parenthetical parts are Nala's counterpoint singing./

Pride except Nala:

_And where the journey may lead you _(_Giza buyabo, giza buyabo_)

_Let this prayer be your guide _(_I will return, I will return_)

(_Beso bo)_

_Though it may take you so far away _(_Giza buyabo, I will return_)

_Always remember your pride _(_Giza buyabo, oh giza buyabo)_

/After a long run, Nala stops. We still see some tears in her eyes./

Nala:

_Beso bo, my people, beso bo_

/Nala turns her back to the camera, and begins walking away. Sudden cut to black./

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_Well, this is the end of this chapter. I hope that you could stand another "choreography scene". If you think that the scene is too different, let me tell you one thing. I have NEVER seen The Lion King Broadway Musical, and I do not know many of it's songs. The few that I know, I knew them already at a rather advanced stage of writing of this fanfic. If I knew some of them earlier, I'd not have done some things in my fanfic. For example, one song of The Lion King Broadway Musical clearly states that the three main hyenas from the movies are not triplets. Whatever... please, review._


	57. Chapter 56: Endless night

_Hello. Well, after the last chapter, here it comes another one, with a short return to Simba's life in the jungle. Attention, this chapter is taking place on the same night of the previous chapter, when Nala leaves to find help. The song "Endless Night" is copyrighted to whoever wrote it. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 56 – Endless night**

Unaware of all the problems that his once best friend and betrothed was facing, Simba was lying down under the stars, with his two friends and adoptive parents, enjoying his peaceful life. During the last two years since Mkalimu's death, the paradise had stayed quite unchanged. The only short difference was the temporary presence of the Windy Rogues, what was pleasant for him, of course, because they had been the only lions with friendly intentions that he had seen ever since his self-exile. He didn't care about them. as long as they didn't hurt Timon and Pumbaa, what the rogues were kind enough to accept (especially after smelling Pumbaa's gas).

But the Windy Rogues didn't stay around for long. After just a year of staying in Hakuna Matata, they went away. Simba was a little bit sad with their departue, but he didn't follow them. However, during that year, the relationship was good for them both, and all the lions were sorry for the separation. Timon and Pumbaa didn't got so affected by the departue of the pack as much as their adopted son, but they also got a little bit, because they already had grown quite fonds of some particular traits in the lions. For example, Horen had once showed Pumbaa a plant that eliminated stomachaches, rather frequent in the warthog when he ate too much bugs. Timon liked some of the incidental jokes of the twins Daki and Laki, and vice-versa.

The Windy Rogues had even been kind enough to offer Simba a chance of going with them. The young lion remembered that when, after one year of staying on Hakuna Matata, Horen had come to him, accompanied by the twins and Amini.

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"Good morning, Simba." said the redmaned lion.

"Good morning, Horen." replied the young lion. "Anything new?"

"Yes." said the pack-leader. "We are going away."

That was a rather big shock for the young lion. The four rogues had been the only friendly members of his specie ever since his exile. Simba had ended up enjoying their presence so much, that he began to hope they'd stay there with him. As much as he liked Timon and Pumbaa's company, it was different from having his own kind around.

"But… why?" asked Simba, when he managed to recover slightly from his amazement.

"Well… boys and I have talked… and we don't think that our life fits to this place." said Horen, while the twins and Amini nodded.

"What does this place doesn't have that you want?" asked Simba, getting slightly desperate.

"A pride." said the four rogues at the same time.

"I already heard of synchronized speech, but this is ridiculous!" said Timon, sitting on Pumbaa's head.

"But… why do you want a pride?" asked Simba, eventhough he had a good hint of the answer. "I thought you weren't of the kind of fighting for kingship!"

"And we are not." said Amini.

"But if we find a group of lionesses without a king…" said Daki.

"… there's no reason for not to accept an invitation!" concluded Laki.

All the Windy Rogues giggled, but Simba didn't share the feeling. He wasn't happy at all at all the lions that had been close friends to him going away. Horen had even been one of the closest things of a father that Simba had. But, if they were going away, there was nothing he could do to hold them. So, with his voice strangled by sadness, Simba tried to hurry the business

"Well… if you want to leave, leave…" said Simba, trying to hold back his tears. "But I'm going to miss you all."

The four lions seemed slightly surprised at what Simba told. Horen said: "But, in fact, we came here to offer you, Timon and Pumbaa one invitation. Well… in fact, the invitation is to you, but I don't have anything against if Timon and Pumbaa decide to come – as long as they don't delay or annoy us. I talked with Amini and the twins about it, and they also don't have anything against, right?"

He looked at the other three lions, and they nodded again. Simba looked at Horen, and asked: "What is the invitation?"

"Well, you could come with us." said the leader.

Simba thought a little bit. Sure, Horen's offer was tempting, and he, in fact, would like to have some lions for company – even if Timon's and Pumbaa's was good. But there were two problems. One was that he was sure that Timon and Pumbaa would be rather hard to convince when it came to leaving their paradise, eventhough he was sure that they wouldn't abandon him if he decided to go with the rogues.

But there was another problem. Simba wasn't sure that he would again fit in a pride, or even in a rogue-pack. When he lived in his pride, he was always a trouble maker. Surely he was only a cub on that time, but... he was also a cub only when he had caused his father's death, and he wasn't surely a cub when he caused Mkalimu's death. If he went with the Windy Rogues… maybe he'd cause their deaths as well. He had to refuse, for the sake of their friends.

"Thank you for the offer, Horen…" said Simba hesitantly and fearfully. "But I can't accept."

The Windy Rogues gasped from surprise, and they even seemed offended with Simba's refuse. Noticing that, the young lion explained: "I wouldn't fit in a pride, or in a pack. I was kicked out of my pride when I was eight months old… I wouldn't fit in another… please, try to understand…"

The four rogues didn't manage to understand that. But they accepted that Simba wanted to stay there. After all, Simba should have his reasons, and, if they didn't manage to understand them, they only had to accept and respect the fact. As a first, Horen said goodbye, hugging Simba: "Uh… stay well. I'm going to miss you."

"Me too, Horen." replied Simba with voice strangled by sadness. "Goodbye."

Then, it came Daki's and Laki's turn. Each one of them hugged Simba.

"Well, goodbye you two." said Simba. "It was good to meet you."

"Try to stay alright…" began Daki.

"… and goodbye." concluded Laki.

As the other three lions moved in to say goodbye to Timon and Pumbaa, Amini came to Simba.

"Goodbye, Simba." said Amini. "It was good being your friend. In fact… you're the first friend of my age that I recall to have."

"Well… I hope you manage to find your pride." said Simba. "Who knows, maybe we'll see each other again."

"Maybe." said Amini. "Goodbye, Simba."

Finally, the four rogues waved goodbye one last time, and then they went away, walking northwest. Simba, Timon and Pumbaa watched them going, and, finally, the young lion was unable to repress two tears.

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But the three friends had stayed on Hakuna Matata, and on this night, like on so many others, one year after the departue of the Windy Rogues, they were just relaxing, lied on their backs. Suddenly, a belch sounded in a good area around them.

"Whoah! Nice one, Simba!" said Timon.

"Thanks!" replied Simba, smiling. "Man, I'm stuffed."

"Me too." said Pumbaa. "I ate like a pig."

"Pumbaa, you are a pig." said the lion.

"Oh! Right." replied the warthog.

But the small episode soon got forgotten, as the three friends sighed deeply in unison, and then stayed looking at the stars. Or, maybe better to say, with their faces turned at the stars, because they weren't having any special reason to watch them. But, as Pumbaa wasn't exactly sleepy at the moment, and wanted to talk about something, he asked: "Timon?"

"What is it?" replied the meerkat indifferently.

"Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are upthere?" asked the warthog.

"Pumbaa, I don't wonder, I know." said Timon with confident voice.

In fact, he didn't know what were the stars, but he didn't want to pass by an ignorant or a fool at the eyes of his friends, so he lied.

"Oh. What are they?" asked Pumbaa, making Timon to face the problem.

But it didn't take too much time for an explanation to pass through the head of the small insectivore. In fact, it was the only answer seeming logical to him. He said: "They're fireflies. Fireflies that uh… got stuck on that big… blueish-black thing."

"Oh. Gee." said Pumbaa, seemingly ashamed of his ignorance. Then, he voiced his own theory: "I always thought that they were balls of gas burning bilions of miles away."

"Pumbaa, wit'you, everything's gas." said Timon, in a strangely hopeless voice.

Simba heard his friends' explanations for what the stars were. None of them was real, but that didn't mind. At least until Pumbaa asked: "Simba, what do you think?"

"Uh… I don't know." said Simba, seemingly ashamed.

That was also a lie. He knew. But it would be useless to tell that to Timon and Pumbaa. As much as they were good to make him laugh and cheer him up, and even at trying to help him when he was sad, they wouldn't understand this. Especially if he began developing the explanation… 'till that night. The night before the horrible stampede that killed his father.

"I never knew we could die so young." thought Simba.

But it wasn't yet the end of the talking, as Timon and Pumbaa insisted with him.

"Come on, come on... give, give.." said Timon.

"Aw come on. Give, give, give .. Well, come on, Simba, we told you ours... pleeeease?" added Pumbaa, even more insistently than Timon.

The two insectivores insisted so much that Simba ended up saying with reluctant voice: "Well, somebody once told me that the great kings of the past are up there, watching over us."

"Really?" asked Pumbaa, with an amazed – mockingly or genuinely, but it was unsure – voice.

"You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?" asked Timon, also amazed.

He tried to keep composure, but it didn't take too much time before the meerkat broke out laughing, almost instantly followed by the warthog. Simba didn't do it, eventhough he also tried to show that he thought of the situation as funny.

"Who told you something like that?" asked Timon, while Pumbaa kept laughing. "What mook made that up?"

"Yeah…" said Simba hesitantly. "Pretty dumb, huh?"

"Aw, you're killing me, Simba." said Timon, as he and Pumbaa finally stopped laughing.

But, this time, Simba didn't try to show that he thought about the situation as funny. He just looked at the stars again, and then, with a sad face, he quietly departed and left.

"Was it something I said?" asked the confused and worried meerkat, while he and the warthog watched their adopted son going away.

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Simba didn't go too far away. After arriving to a tree, he lied down under it, with a sad face and a disturbed mind.

"Oh… why it has to be like that?" thought Simba. "I killed my father… and now I disown him… oh, why? I should have shame on that face of mine… but… dad… are you so angry on me that you don't even want to show yourself to me? I thought you were always looking to me from up there!"

Simba just looked again around, but nobody was listening to him. This was one of the moments when he missed Mkalimu the most. She was always better at trying to understand him when he was sad… but she was gone. Gone as well. Gone… because of him. Why he always had to cause the deaths of those that he loved? Was some kind of bad luck?

It was thinking about these things that the young lion fell asleep, just to be tormented by a nightmare, like it happened every time since his father's death.

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He found himself walking on a strange place, that he had never seen before. He seemed to be surrounded by a black mist, that had no shape at all. He also couldn't exactly see the ground where he was walking. In fact, he could only see himself, all the rest was just a black mist.

Simba began walking through it, trying to look for something or someone who could help him out of that terrible place. The whole darkness around just made him to shiver. But then… he saw something. Part of the strange mist began shaping into a lion… a rather big lion. To be more exact, it began shaping into… him. The lion that Simba had missed the most during the last four years.

"D-d-dad?" asked Simba, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

The strange form of Mufasa seemed to take some time to understand that Simba was there, but, when he did, Mufasa just looked at his son with a smile. It was exactly the same kind of friendly smile that Simba used to remember. Simba assumed that, if his father was smiling like that, he should have forgiven to him. The young lion ran to his father, prepared to hug him… and to apologize him… but, when Simba arrived to the reach of Mufasa's paw, something changed. In a mere fraction of second, Mufasa's expression turned from gentle to one of pure hatred, and his paw inflicted a blow on Simba's neck. The young lion was thrown four metres aside, gasping in pain. In fact, it seemed a miracle for him that his father's attack hadn't broke his neck.

"Father…" whispered Simba weakly, rubbing his neck. "What… was… that… for?"

"You pathetic worthless piece of trash!" said Mufasa, with a voice so full of hatred that Simba felt his whole body freezing. "How could you do what you did… first you cause your own father's death, then you make friends with your prey, then you disown your father… you…"

"Father…" gagged Simba weakly, still feeling unable to get up. "I'm… sorry… I didn't…"

"I hate you!" roared Mufasa, smacking Simba's head again. "You aren't even worthy to be my son…"

"That's right!" said another voice.

Simba looked around, and saw that part of the strange black mist was shaping into a lioness. Simba noticed that it was his mother. She had an expression as hateful as Mufasa's, and said: "You… how could you do that? You are a monster…"

"Mom…" said Simba, with tears coming to his eyes. "Please…"

He crawled to his mother's paws and said: "Please… forgive…"

But, before he could finish the sentence, Sarabi smacked his face as hard as Mufasa had done. Simba again fell aside, unable to get up, and Sarabi said, in the same hateful voice: "What you've done is beyond forgiveness…"

"Beyond forgiveness!" echoed one new voice.

Simba looked again. This voice was unfamiliar to him… at least partially, because it resembled one voice that he had once heard. And then, more of the mist shaped into a second lioness. The last time that Simba had seen her, she was a cub, but now she was a full grown adult. Still, her expression was as hateful as the one of his parents. She was…

"Nala!" said Simba. "Nala, you…"

"You are a monster!" said the image of Nala. This version of Nala seemed more beautiful than his cubhood friend, but she also seemed far more terrible.

"Nala…. please…" said Simba.

"And that is why you will be punished!" said Mufasa. "After what you've done, your punishment is…"

Mufasa didn't complete the sentence, but he waved his paw, and the two shapes of Timon and Pumbaa appeared on the middle of the clearing. However, and much to Simba's fear, both of them seemed to be floating helplessly, as if they had no control of their body. They shook their paws, and they screamed in fear, but that had no effect on their situation.

"Guys!" shouted Simba with terrified voice.

"Help us!" shouted the panicked meerkat.

"Please!" said the warthog.

Seeing his adoptive parents in danger, Simba managed to find somewhere enough energy to pounce on them and grab them, trying to save them from whatever danger they were into. But it was too late. Just as Simba was mere milimetres of them, Timon and Pumbaa seemed to burst in flames, screaming in pain. A second later, the only thing that remained were ashes. Simba collapsed to the ground, sobbing in despair.

"Guys…" sobbed Simba, crying with his head buried in his paws. "Why…"

The images of his parents and Nala were laughing like crazy, with a surprisingly evil laughter. But, this time… Simba managed to get up. His parents and Nala could hate him… they could have their reasons… but they couldn't do such a thing to Timon and Pumbaa and get away with it. Looking at the images with an angry stare, he said: "You'll pay!"

After saying that, Simba roared and jumped at the three pictures with full extended claws and bared teeth. The first picture that he aimed at was his father. But the three pictures seemed unimpressed. When Simba was about to reach Mufasa, the three pictures just dispelled into the same mist again, making Simba to land on the ground heavily.

The young lion moaned in pain, as he tried to get up. But, before he did it, Mufasa, Sarabi, and Nala again appeared. Mufasa slapped his head with surprising strength, and Simba fell on the ground again. After that, Mufasa transformed again in the black mist. Then, Sarabi went to Simba's right side, while Nala went to the left. Both extended their claws, and both of them slashed Simba hardly, making the young lion to roar in pain. After that, the two transformed into the black mist again.

Shortly after, Mufasa, Sarabi, and Nala reappeared some metres ahead of Simba, watching the young lion trying to get up with an expression of pure delight.

"No, Simba." said Mufasa coldly. "You'll be the one to pay!"

"Father… you don't mean…" said Simba, feeling very scared again.

"Oh… but didn't you understand yet?" asked Mufasa mockingly. "I'm not your father!"

Understanding went through Simba's head like lighting. And then, it all became logical. This one wasn't surely his father. His father wouldn't talk to him like that… wouldn't hate him like that… but then…

"Who are you?" asked Simba, confused.

As if answering to that question, the two shapes of Sarabi and Nala again transformed into the strange black mist, while Mufasa began shaping into a completely different thing. It was a reptile… a snake…

"Joka!" gasped Simba with scared voice.

"That'ssssss right." whispered the snake with evil voice. "Long time no see, heh?"

"Uh… what do you want?" asked Simba, fearfully.

"Revenge!" said Joka. "Because of you, I have died!"

"Uh?" asked Simba, confused. He wasn't less scared, but his confusion was so much that he had to ask. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that on the day when I tried to eat you, I died, becaussssse of that dammed Mkalimu! Ssssshe hit me ssssso hard that the woundsssss were fatal. It wasssssn't a fassssst death… but I died nonethelessssss! And how, I'm here to get my revenge on you!"

"You can't swallow me with that size!" shouted Simba, trying to sound as brave as possible. "And now I can fight!"

In fact, he couldn't fight, because his muscles seemed not to obey him. In fact, he was feeling rather panicked. Joka understood that, as he said: "I know I can't sssssswallow you whole… sssssso I ordered ssssssome friendssssss of mine to come here and make you in piecesssss!"

Simba's voice seemed to lock on his throat, but then, it came the answer to his question. The terrible answer. A lot of the black mist began shaping… into wildebeests! Wildebeests that looked exactly like the ones of the stampede that had killed his father. They turned their eyes to Simba. The young lion just felt terrified… they were coming again…

"Alright, guyssssss! Correct your missssstake!" shouted Joka with triumphant voice

The wildebeests began running towards Simba. Feeling his strength regained, the young lion turned around, and began running away with his full speed. But the stampeding herd was chasing him… they were trying to kill him... Simba didn't dare to look behind… just forward… running forward… he had to escape… eventhough he had no idea to where he was escaping.

Suddenly, a tree root appeared of the ground. But it was too late for Simba to either jump above it or turn around it. He just tripped on it and rolled forward. But this fall had costed him too much. His left front-paw was in deep pain, as if it was broken. He couldn't get up. To make things even stranger, the root disappeared after making him to trip. The wildebeests were getting closer… he would die…

But, just when Simba thought that he was doomed, it was as if an orb of light exploded in front of him. It was so intense that it almost blinded looking at it. And yet… Simba felt unable to look away. Especially when the orb of light began turning into a shape… a shape well known of him… but he never thought to see her again…

"Mkalimu?" asked Simba, confused.

She was almost the same as when she was alive, but there was one very important difference. She was glowing. Simba was unsure about what she could do, but, much to his surprise, the stampeding wildebeests stopped when they saw the leopardess standing between them and the lion.

Eventually, the wildebeests gave way to Joka, who came crawling between them. He looked right into Mkalimu's eyes, but she handled the snake's hypnotical look firmly, as she had done when she was alive.

"Well… well…" said Joka. "You… I wanted to see you as well…"

He began rolling around Mkalimu, as if he tried to choke her. Simba tried to tell Mkalimu to be cautious… or to help her… but his voice seemed to be locked in his throat. However, she was still standing firmly, seemingly indifferent to the snake. Joka gave up trying to choke the leopardess, and again looked into Mkalimu's eyes with a hypnothical look, but she only said, with firm voice: "Get out."

Surprisingly, when the snake heard that, the wildebeests turned into black mist again. Joka hissed in anger, before turning into an orb of light and disappearing. Finally, Mkalimu turned her attention to Simba. She was smiling friendly and gently, just like Simba recalled.

"Are you alright?" asked the leopardess.

Simba tried to get up, and, much to his surprise, his wounds seemed to have healed. As if Mkalimu's appearance solved his problems.

"Yes…" said Simba as honestly as he could.

"That's good." said the leopardess.

"I… I miss you…" admitted the young lion, almost shamefully.

He tried to go closer to Mkalimu, trying to nuzzle her, but he wasn't sure it was possible. After all, she was a spirit, a ghost. But she walked confidently towards him, and nuzzled him. Simba had to admit he felt surprised, but he soon felt more relaxed, and hugged the leopardess. And then, he spoke out the question that was worrying him.

"Mkalimu… what about my father? What…"

"Simba… I can't answer too much questions." said Mkalimu. "And I will have to go soon. Sorry…"

"But… Mkalimu…" whispered Simba. He didn't want her to go away so quickly… he wanted to be with her some more time. He had plenty of questions in his mind. In the end, he asked: "What about Joka? I mean… have you scared him away for good?"

"Most likely not. I may have, but it's likely that I haven't." said Mkalimu. "And another thing… I'm not sure that I'll be able to protect you when he returns. But, if he does, there is a solution."

"What is that solution?" asked Simba.

"You have to face him." said Mkalimu. "The solution for we to surpass our fears is to face them. But that works specially well with Joka. It is like that eversince I met him. He doesn't know how to deal with someone who faces him."

Simba nodded in understanding, but, much to his sadness, Mkalimu said: "Now I have to go. Sorry."

Simba wanted to stop her, but Mkalimu said: "Don't worry. I'm always with you."

Simba nuzzled the leopardess for one last time, and the leopardess nuzzled him back, with a peaceful smile on her lips. When it ended, the leopardess turned into an orb of light and disappeared.

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Simba woke up suddenly. He looked around, still somewhat scared, but somehow relieved. The first that he noticed was that, while he slept, Timon and Pumbaa had come close to him, probably ready to help him if he had problems. Now, they were sleeping, with Timon on Pumbaa's belly, as it was usual.

Simba just couldn't help but to feel relieved at seeing that his two friends were alright… but then it came another question. What about his father? His father… he had told that he would always be up there to help him… but he, unlike Mkalimu, had never appeared, even when he needed the most of his help.

"Father…" said Simba sadly. "Please, bring some light to my endless night."

/"Endless Night" song from The Lion King Broadway Musical. Simba walks away from Timon and Pumbaa, and then he looks at the sky. We hear some hums as chant. The stars are there, but they seem strangely cold./

Simba:

_Where has the starlight gone?_

_Dark is the day_

_How can I find my way home?_

/Camera changes to a tree. We see some bats and a galago stopping their night routines to hear Simba. They sit down on the tree, as if they are trying to listen carefully./

_Home is an empty dream_

_Lost to the night_

_Father, I feel so alone_

/Simba stays with his eyes focused on the sky, and begins singing louder. Camera changes to a different perspective, as if we were seeing it from Simba's eyes. We see the stars moving as if Simba was moving his head./

Chorus: Simba

_You promised you'd be there_

_Whenever I needed you_

_Whenever I call you name_

_You're not anywhere_

/Camera changes it's perspective again, so that we see Simba again. But we see some small eyes looking at him. Simba begins walking slowly to a ledge. Some nocturnal animals are following him, trying to remain hidden./

_I'm trying to hold on_

_Just waiting to hear your voice_

_One word, just one word will do_

_To end this nightmare_

/Camera changes it's perspective to in front of Simba. Simba sits down, and begins looking around, searching for a star that could be his father./

Simba:

_When will the dawning break_

_Oh endless night_

_Sleepless I dream of the day_

_/_Simba looks around, as if he is concerned as if someone is following him, but he can't see anyone. Camera once again changes perspective so that we see things from Simba's eyes. We see him looking to both sides. Some fireflies are there, making two lines around him, as if they were marking some sort of way, but, just an instant after they realize that Simba is looking, they turn off their lights./

_When you were by my side_

_Guiding my path_

_Father I can't find the way._

/Simba gets up and walks closer to the ledge, and looks at the sky again. He sings even louder. Zoom-in Simba's face, the camera like it begins circling around him./

_You promised you'd be there_

_Whenever I needed you_

_Whenever I call your name_

_You're not anywhere_

/Camera zooms out and changes it's perspective, so we see Simba from behind, looking at the stars. We see some bats flying through the sky./

_I'm trying to hold on_

_Just waiting to hear your voice_

_One word, just one word will do_

_To end this nightmare_

/Simba seems more and more desperate. We see some night animals hidden further, and they all are watching Simba closely./

Chorus: Night animals

_I know that the night must end_

_And that the sun will rise_

_And that the sun will rise_

_I know that the clouds must clear_

_And that the sun will shine_

_And that the sun will shine _

/For some time, the camera like if rotates around Simba, allowing to see the night animals hidden. For some moments, we see Timon and Pumbaa, rather far, but they are still sleeping./

Night animals and Simba:

_I know that the night must end_

_And that the sun will rise_

_And that the sun will rise_

_I know that the clouds must clear_

_And that the sun will shine_

_And that the sun will shine _(This line repeats to the end of the song, heard in mix with Simba's voice).

/Zoom-in Simba's face again, but this time we see from the other side. Nothing seems to answer him, not even a breeze./

Simba:

_I know_

_Yes I know_

_The sun will rise_

_I know_

_Yes I know_

_The clouds must clear_

/Camera changes to the sky. Some clouds are passing by, but they don't stay for long. However, they are thick enough to cover some stars./

_I know that the night must end_

_I know that the sun will rise_

_And I'll hear your voice deep inside_

/Simba tries one last look around the sky, but nothing special happens./

_I know that the night must end_

_And that the clouds must clear_

_The sun_

_The sun will rise_

_The sun_

_The sun will rise_

/With a tired and seemingly hopeless expression, Simba just collapses to lay on the edge of the ledge. We see that his flop stirrs some milkweed into the air. The camera follows it. Sudden cut to black./

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_Well, what did you think? I did my best to make the song "Endless Night" to look as much of the one on The Lion King Broadway Musical as possible... but my ability to write any "song-like-scene" is limited. And, once again, I have NEVER seen The Lion King Broadway Musical, so the scene matching the song may have been different. But I hope you enjoyed. Please, review! I still need opinions._


	58. Chapter 57: Old friends and old foes

_Hello. After the last chapter with Simba, I finally return to Nala. Well, probably the moment that you, or at least some of you, are more anxious for is Nala finding Simba, but you will have to wait some more time. Don't worry, it will not take much time, but there are some important events before that, alongside the return of some characters from past chapters._

_Well, Vumbi (male), Hidaya (female), Lisha (female), Kinah (female), Udama (female) and Karimu (female) are my characters, and are not to be used without my permission. Wow, it's been a while since I introduced characters of mine. Now that is over, let's begin. _

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**Chapter 57 – Old friends and old foes**

Nala was walking through the hot sand of the desert. She was feeling exhausted, but she did not dare to stop. She couldn't stop. Her pride needed help as soon as possible. That was why, in spite the fact of feeling her pawpads burning, all her body soaked in sweat, and an overwhelming dizziness caused by sunstroke, she kept as much speed as possible. She could actually run, but, because she did not know where the desert ended, it was risky. But it couldn't be too far.

"I have to go." thought Nala, as if it was a motivation. "I must find help for my pride. It's the only thing I can do, to make up for killing Bovu… what would Shimo tell?"

That was the biggest thing that haunted her. Eventhough she hadn't directly killed Bovu, she had lured the lion to his death, only because of a selfish request. It could be to release her pride from Scar, but it was a selfish request, nonetheless. And now, the only way of making up for that was helping the pride herself. The first step was finding a vacant land, where her pride would be able to survive the drought.

But, before that, it seemed that she would have to find something more, because she heard something that sent shivers through her spine. Laughter. But it wasn't a friendly laughter, it was hyena laughter.

"Oh no!" thought Nala. "If they are Scar's hyenas, they will tell Scar about me… and I'm done for! If they aren't Scar's hyenas… then I will be eaten… and I'm done for!"

Suddenly, seven hyenas appeared over a sand dune. Nala tried to slip away, noticing that the scavengers seemed to not have seen her. In fact, that rule was valid for some time, but, just before Nala was about to give a relief sigh, one of the scavengers saw her, and said: "Hey, look! A lioness!"

Immediately, the other seven hyenas ran towards Nala, with famished looks on their eyes and drool dripping from their jaws. The lioness didn't think too much: she just ran away. She could handle about three of those hyenas, but seven at the same time were too much for her. The only possible choice was to escape, or then to find some place where she could cover her back and sides. If the hyenas managed to surround her, she was lost. So, she ran as quickly as possible, still going east, because that was the direction where, somehow, she felt that she should go to, but there was the problem of escaping the angry hyenas.

However, running fast to escape hungry hyenas wasn't exactly easy – specially after spending half of a night and half of the day walking at fast pace, and having some hours of sleep in delay. Whatever, the lioness tried to run as quickly as she could. Maybe it was dust because of despair – but in fact, she managed to run for a long distance, long enough to see a mysterious rock formation relatively close to her. She tried to run as quickly as she could, and she managed to arrive relatively close to the misterious rock formation. If she only managed to get there, she would be able to shield her back. But it was no use. She was too tired to run further, and collapsed before getting to the rock.

The hyenas soon caught up with her. Six of them stopped after that, but the one on the lead turned the panting Nala on her back and pinned her by the shoulders. Normally, Nala wouldn't just let a hyena do that to her, but in this state of exhaustion, she could barely move. She closed her eyes, in an attempt of not seeing what the hyena would do to her. But that moment was taking too long, as if the hyena was staring at her.

Suddenly, she heard the hyena speaking. And the hyena's sentence made her even more scared. Mainly because she recognized the voice.

"Well, well… aren't you Nala?" asked the hyena with curious voice.

The lioness opened her eyes, and noticed a scar over the hyena's left eye. And she realized that this was one of the hyenas that Scar had exiled for not following the law. Not only that, she was probably the most dangerous of them all.

"It's Ramuka!" thought the terrified lioness. "I'm done for!"

"Yes, yes…" said Ramuka, looking with some more attention at the lioness's face. "You are Nala! We failed in killing you four years ago… but we don't regret that mistake! Now you have a lot more meat! Let's just hope you are as tasty as you look…"

Trying to figure that out, Ramuka licked Nala's neck. The lioness felt like if she was going to vomit when the hyena's tongue touched her fur, but she had to keep a cool mind if she wanted to get out of there alive. It was impossible to fight so much hyenas, especially being so exhausted, so there was only one solution.

"HELP ME!" shouted Nala as loud as she could.

"Shut up!" said Dhara with seemingly desperate voice, as if she feared that Nala was heard.

"Don't worry." replied Ramuka. "There's no one here to listen to her screams! And now, we already lost enough time! I'll kill you!"

After that, she opened her jaws, ready to transform the helpless lioness in her next meal. But, before Ramuka could bite Nala's neck, the lioness, feeling her strength misteriously regained, kicked the hyena's stomach. Ramuka gasped in pain as she went flying to Vyero, throwing him to the ground. After being sure that she was free, Nala got up and resumed her running to the rock formation with her full speed. Meanwhile, the other hyenas were so surprised that they didn't care too much with catching Nala. That is, until Ramuka gasped: "GET HER!"

Five of the scavengers began chasing the lioness again, except Ramuka and Vyero, who were trying to get up. Nala began another crazy run to escape the hyenas, eventhough she had barely enough strength for the next step. But, after just some metres of running, she heard a roar. The amazement was so much, that both she and the hyenas stopped. Looking to the left, she saw a lion on the top of a sand dune. The hyenas also saw him. For some moments, nobody reacted, except Nala, who sat down, breathing heavily, and Ramuka and Vyero, who caught up with the other scavengers. But shortly after, the hyenas, with Ramuka on the lead, began running towards him instead. But the lion, surprisingly, just stood there, as if he was waiting for the hyenas to come to him. Nala watched, confused, but the lion had a defined strategy. When the hyenas were almost reaching him, he lied down, covered his eyes with his paws, and began rolling down the dune, right into the hyenas.

The scavengers realised the lion's intention too late to avoid the feline's charge. Damu and Puana were thrown into the air when the lion hit them, falling heavily on the sand just a moment after, and rolling down the sand dune as well. The lion managed to stop rolling, and jumped aside right on time to avoid the hyenas, but those only stopped when they hit the bottom on the dune.

Suddenly, the other five hyenas jumped at the lion, but he rolled backwards, sending Kuno rolling down the dune as well. But the remaining four deciced to use the moment when the rogue lied down to pin him.

"You're done for!" said Ramuka, who was about to bite the lion's throat.

But she and the other hyenas had forgotten one very important detail. Nala. While the hyenas were busy with the lion, Nala had enough time to catch her breath. Now, she jumped to the four hyenas with a roar, strucking them with all her mass. The plan worked out. Vyero and Mwoga went rolling down the sand dune, joining their companions, who were already buried in the sand. Nala, still panting, sat down again. She just couldn't stand more. She had to rest. But the last remaining hyenas didn't want to wait. Ramuka and Dhara jumped at Nala. Dhara tried to keep the lioness trapped, while Ramuka prepared to deliver the final blow. But, being so worried about Nala, they forgot the lion. Unlike the lioness, he didn't seem to be tired, and with a fast blow from his paw, sent Dhara rolling down the sand dune. Ramuka prepared to turn to the lion instead, but the lion pushed her heavily, sending the hyena rolling down the dune, and allowing Nala to get up. Both of them looked at the bottom of the dune, noticing some small sand mounds where the hyenas were buried. It didn't take too much time for the scavengers to get out, but instead of charging again, they just ran away.

"And there are more where these came from, if you ever decide to come back!" roared the lion.

"That voice!" thought Nala. "It can't be… him…"

She felt that she was slipping into unconsciousness. The battle with the hyenas had drained out the last of her strength. But she turned to the lion, hoping to see who it was. And when she finally saw him, she couldn't believe her eyes. The lion was very familiar to her… he had saved her from one of those hyenas when she was a cub… he barely seemed to have aged since that time…

"Ni?" asked Nala weakly.

That was the last word that the lioness said, before she drifted away and fell heavily on the sand.

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A little bit later, Nala began regaining her senses, but she still felt some dizziness from sunstroke. The first thing that she understood when she came back to consciousness was that she wasn't anymore on the hot sand of the desert, but on cold rock. She should also be in the shade, not under the sun. She didn't understand why that trip through the desert had been so exhausting, when she was used to walk on the Pride Lands, what wasn't too different from walking in the desert... except for the desert not having any shade to rest, and be necessary to almost run instead of walking normally, because if she walked slowly, her paws would heat up much more. She tried to get up, but the headache that she felt was still too big.

Nala heard the voice of a lioness whispering: "She's waking up! Bring that gourd with water."

Shortly after, heard the sound of a lioness going away, and returning soon after. But then, she heard a voice, well-known to her, whispering: "Don't speak that loud. Let her rest a little bit more."

Nala finally opened her eyes, and looked around the place. She understood that she was inside the rock formation that she had seen, and that it was in fact an oasis, protected from sandstorms by the rocks. She noticed four lionesses around her. There were two lions with the lionesses. The first one was the one that she had confused for Ni, but it wasn't surely Ni. This lion looked like Ni, but it was much younger. In fact, he had around the same age that Ni had when he and Nala met for the first time. Maybe this lion was a little bit older, but surely not old enough to be Ni.

As for the other lion, she remembered him very well. That lion was the same that Simba had introduced to her a long time ago, one that Simba had claimed to be his ancestor.

"Joe!" said Nala, surprised.

The brown-maned lion looked at Nala with a surprised look, trying to see if he could remember the lioness. Meanwhile, the other lion said: "Gee, it seems you know everyone!"

Meanwhile, Joe looked at the lioness carefully, and finally said: "Nala?"

"Yes, it's me!" said Nala, hugging the lion.

The brown lion hugged Nala, and then he said: "But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the Pride Lands?"

"It's a long story." replied Nala.

"Uh… you may tell it now." said Joe. "Or tell it later…"

"Let her rest, Joe." said one lioness with sandy fur and green eyes, who seemed to be the leader of the group.

Joe nodded. But then, Nala decided to turn to the young lion. She said hesitantly: "So… Ni…"

The lion chuckled a little bit. Nala didn't understand what was so funny, but she reverted to silence. When the lion stopped chuckling, he said with a friendly smile: "No, no! I am not Ni! Ni is my father… what is your name by the way?"

"Nala…" whispered the lioness.

She would have said it in normal voice, but in fact, she couldn't speak louder, because the impact of the recent information had been hard for her. Knowing that had been a big surprise. In fact, she never hoped to see Ni again. But then, she had to drop her surprise, because the lioness who seemed to be the leader appraoched, and said to the lion: "Vumbi, let me speak to her."

"Yes, mom." said the lion.

The lioness approached Nala, and sat down. First, she gave her the gourd with water. Nala drank as quickly as she could, only now remembering that her throat was incredibly dry after the short journey by the desert.

Then, the lioness looked in Nala's eyes, and began speaking: "Nala, if you allow me… I would like to ask you something."

"You may ask." said Nala. But, before the lioness could ask, Nala came with a question herself: "What is your name, by the way?"

"Hidaya." said the lioness.

"Oh… alright." said Nala. "What was the question?"

But, suddenly, all the questions had to be interrupted, because the sound of a lion entering sounded on the cave. All looked at him. Nala, having seen him, almost jumped from amazement. It was Ni. He was almost the same when he remembered her, except that now he was way older, being full-grown now.

All the lionesses gave a small bow at him, which made Nala to assume that he was the leader of that short group. Ni nuzzled his son and mate one at a time, and then, he looked at Nala. Because she was slightly in the shade, he didn't recognize her, so he just chuckled, and said: "Vumbi, when I told you that today was your first hunt, the idea wasn't that you brought a new lioness."

"But that wasn't my first hunt, dad." said Vumbi. "My first hunt was that!"

And he pointed at the leftovers of an orix that were at some distance.

"She knows you, my dear." said Hidaya.

"Oh, yeah?" asked Ni, surprised. "I don't remember her…"

Nala couldn't help but to be a little bit disappointed at that sentence. After their close, even if little lasting, friendship, she was at least expecting him to remember her if they met again. Sure, she had changed, but she shouldn't have changed that much. But suddenly, her disappointement disappeared, because the lion looked better, and asked fearfully: "Nala?"

"Oh, then you know her." said Hidaya. "Well… she appeared to us here. Vumbi said that he found her on the desert, and saved her from a pack of hyenas."

"Oh, it is getting quite a habit." said Ni playfully. "First I save you from hyenas, and then my son saves you from hyenas."

"Very funny." replied Nala, giving a naughty smile to the lion.

"Well, Nala... what are you doing here?" asked Ni. "Shouldn't you be in the Pride Lands? Well, the Pride Lands are rather close from here…and there's a jungle on the other side of the desert."

"Jungle?" asked Nala, confused. "What jungle?"

"The jungle from the other side of the desert." replied Hidaya. "We sometimes hunt there… but not too much. We mainly live here, because we know that preys are atracted to this water source when they pass through the desert."

"But what are you doing here?" asked Ni. "You haven't told us yet."

Well, that was indeed the crucial point of the talking. Ni had, once again, helped her. Now she had already found a paradise. Of course, not this oasis, because it was already being occupied by Ni and his small pride… but the jungle. The jungle could be used by them. But she had yet to check how far it was. It was possible that the youngest cubs wouldn't be able to get to it.

"And so what?" thought Nala. "It will only be the cubs of that outcast, of that murderer… to die! No, not only the cubs of the murderer. It will also be Bovu's cubs. I must protect Bovu's cubs, that's the least I can do for him… in memory of him… and Shimo… and not only that, there's also Hawaa. Kilia wouldn't recover of her daughter's death… especially since Tojo exchanged her for Kula."

But it seemed that she would have a rather complicated time answering to Ni's questions, because her friend was more and more curious as time passed. Fortunately, Hidaya threw in something that saved her from questions – or at least, gave her some more time to think in an answer.

"You should let her rest, Ni." said Hidaya to her mate. "If she is still tired, that is."

"Well…" said Nala fearfully. "If you don't mind, I will just rest a little bit, and then we may talk."

But, suddenly, one of the lionesses came closer to Ni, and whispered to him: "Uh… sir… is it actually proper to let her to stay with us?"

"What do you mean, Lisha?" asked Ni, confused.

"I mean… what if she is hiding something?" said Lisha. "Should we actually trust all those that appear to us, specially in a disaster like a Great Drought is?"

"According to that principle, nobody would be actually part of this pack." said Ni.

"Well… we may try to make her to talk." said Kinah, another lioness, who was around Vumbi's age. "Mom is right, maybe we should ask her some more questions."

"I may try." said Ni. "But listen, if she refuses too much, I won't insist with her again, OK?"

"The decision is yours." said Udama, the last lioness. "But I think there's something suspect about her."

"Now that you mention it…" said Hidaya, who had been listening the talking. "I still think there's something suspect about her. I mean, she should tell us something that she is hiding."

"I already told: I will ask her, but I won't insist too much if she's tired." said Ni, forcefully."

He walked to Nala, and said: "Now… Nala… if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you in the Pride Lands?"

"Well… there have been problems." replied Nala, a little bit hesitantly. "But, if you don't mind… I would like to rest a little bit more. May we talk tomorrow?"

"Alright." said Ni.

"Uh… may I eat something?" asked the lioness.

Ni advanced to the half-eaten prey of his son, but before taking a piece, he asked: "Uh… may I?"

"Sure, dad." replied Vumbi.

Meanwhile, Nala was facing her own problems, trying to discover what was the best solution. But she soon forgot the problem, when Ni gave a piece of meat to her, and she began devouring it.

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Nala rested in the cave for the remainder of the day. It was enough time for her to confirm one thing: there were actually many preys going there for a drink. The main ones were ostriches, but there were more. Only animals found in the desert, but it surely allowed the eight lions to live well. However, Ni said that they could only hunt the necessary to survive, because they needed to save meat for the hard times of the drought.

Ni's group was one of the strangest ones that Nala had already her off. Four lionesses: Hidaya, Lisha, Udama, and Kinah and three lions: Ni, Vumbi, and Joe lived together, but, unlike a normal pride, they didn't have a permanent territory, and just wandered, like a pack of rogues.

Additionally, they acted rather differently. Because there were very little females in the group, males were forced to help them in the hunt. The only members who were sometimes excused from the hunt were pregnant lionesses: like Hidaya and Lisha had been some time before. On those cases, normally one of the males stayed in the place to look after the pregnant lioness. According to Ni, Lisha was pregnant when he took her in, about three years before, he and Joe about three years and a half before, and he had met Hidaya only some days after his short passage through the Pride Lands. They had fell in love, and their son Vumbi had been born about three years before Nala's arrival to the oasis.

"And how do you plan on protecting all of them if some rogues or a pride appear?" asked Nala.

Right on that moment, a female Egyptian vulture flew into the place, and sat on Ni's shoulder.

"You have your answer here." said Ni with a smile. "Nala, meet Karimu. She keeps an eye on the area around us, to warn us if there is any danger. Karimu, this is Nala, a friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you." replied the bird.

Nala nodded, and the bird said: "Well, Ni, looks like there isn't any problem around. Those seven hyenas that were here before we arrived already went away."

"Alright." said Ni. "Thanks."

The bird flew off, going to clean the meat from the bones of the antelope that had been recently hunted. Nala just stood there. This strange group had the size of a pack, but seemed to act more like a pride. If they had any permanent place, probably it should be already considered a small pride.

But Nala hadn't enough time to think about that. She had her own problems to solve. How to find a sanctuary for her own pride to survive, and how to make sure that the newborn cubs got there alive.

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On that night, Nala sat outside the cave, looking at the sky. She was feeling rather sleepy, but she couldn't fall asleep, only because of one small problem. Joe snored too loud. The lioness tried all the possible means to reduce the sound of the snoring, but nothing happened. She didn't even manage to understand how Ni and the others managed to sleep with Joe snoring.

After going outside the cave, she finally could give a good look to the strange place where the coalition lived. It seemed like a ring formed by several large rocks, some of those rocks having caves, being the bigger one the place where the pack slept. On the centre, there was some sort of small valley, and, on the bottom, there were some trees, surrounding a hole. In the bottom of the hole, there was a watersource. Currently, it was rather small, but Nala imagined that once all the hole had been filled with water. The place was surely good in the Great Drought, not only because it had water that allowed the lions to survive, but also because it attracted prey. For a moment, Nala got worried, thinking if when the rain came, the place wouldn't be flooded, but then she looked at the height of the cave. It was too high, and, before the water could reach it, it would go outside by the spaces between the rocks, to the desert. The only problem of the place was that there weren't actually too much preys – only those that came to the small water source in the middle of the desert.

But Nala didn't waste much time looking at the strange oasis, looking instead at the night. Or, better to say, at the stars, hoping to find an answer to her problems.

"Oh… am I doing the right thing?" thought Nala. "What I'm currently doing is trying to depose Scar and Zira in order to save our pride… but how can that be? A pride doesn't survive without a king… that's why Tojo was trained by Rafiki to be king… but what can we do now? Now, the heir is Kovu… I can't hurt him… the only problem is that now, our pride can't beat Zira's pride and the hyenas at the same time. We would all be killed. But… what if I ask Ni to help us? Am I crazy, I can't do that! I did it with Bovu, I can't do it with Ni… he protected me, I can't lure him to his death! But I won't lure him to his death… you stupid, even Bovu lost! But if we face them together, we will win… how stupid, only three lions and four lionesses more won't do enough help! But… where can we find more help?"

Nala was focused on her thoughts that she didn't hear a lion approaching her carefully. At least until he whispered: "Nala…"

The lioness almost jumped from scare. But, when she looked backwards, she realized that the lion was Ni. He walked to her worriedly.

"What are you doing outside?" asked Ni with worried voice. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I guess I should." replied Nala. "But I can't sleep."

"Why?" asked Ni, curious.

Nala hesitated for some moments. After all, the answer that she wanted to give was rather stupid. But she eventually admitted, at least partially: "Joe snores too loud."

Her friend chuckled. All of the members in the pack had exactly the same problem that Nala during the first days that they passed sleeping in the same cave that Joe. When Ni stopped chuckling, he said: "Don't worry, Nala, you'll get used to it. We all got."

"It's the only explanation." said Nala.

"But… you look worried, Nala." said Ni, looking carefully at his friend. "And it surely isn't just because of Joe's snoring. Are you alright?"

"Well… yes…" lied Nala. "I've been having some problems, but I am alright."

Ni sighed deeply, feeling that Nala wasn't telling him everything. But he couldn't force her to that. He could only offer help.

"Well, Nala, if you need to talk, now you know where to find me." said Ni friendly.

"I know." she said. "Thanks Ni."

The lion went back into the cave. Nala followed him soon after, but her mind was still busy with many different thoughts. Should she ask Ni for help? Or she shouldn't? Would she lure another of her friends to his death? Or would she lure her whole pride to death for not bringing enough allies to take down the hyenas and the Golden Pride? And, above all, Ni knew of Scar's good reign. Well, not exactly, he had only been on those lands for a day. What would be the best decision?

"I will have some more time to think about that tomorrow." said Nala, as she lied down on the cave, yawning loudly. "For now, I'm too tired, and I'll just sleep."

Her tiredness now was so much, that, in spite of Joe's loud snoring, she soon fell asleep.

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_Well... here it is. Don't worry, Nala WILL find Simba, like I told you. But it isn't yet the time. Whatever... please, review! I still need opinions!_


	59. Chapter 58: Worries about the future

_Well... here it comes another chapter. Once again, some time measures, probably the last on this fanfic. Well... almost two weeks have passed since Bovu's death and Nala's departue, almost a month has passed since Kovu's and Vitani's births, 6 months have passed since Hawaa's birth, a year has passed since Nuka's birth, 30 months have passed since the arrival of the Golden Pride, 3 years have passed since the beginning of the Great Drought, 4 years have passed since Shani's birth, 52 months have passed since Mufasa's death, and 5 years have passed since Simba's and Nala's births. Well... now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 58 – Worries about the future**

On the Pride Lands, things weren't going too different since Nala left. The Great Drought had continued, and food around the Pride Lands was still very low. The hunting with lions and hyenas together continued, but the hyenas were growing more and more unsatisfied. Zira even feared sometimes that they would just make an open rebellion. Fortunately, they were still too scared after Scar's punishment to dedicate their full hearts to another hard attempt. The only problem was that nobody knew for how long that fear would last.

But there were some important differences. For example, now, every time in a day or two, some heavy clouds had appeared in the sky, and sometimes even looked like that it was going to rain. But, even when it was on the edge of rain, the water didn't fall from the sky. It was like if the clouds were waiting for something. But for what, nobody could exactly tell.

The continuing drought was another of the reasons why Scar had decided to use the Cubs Sanctuary again. After all, the cubs needed water, and it was easier to provide it on the Cubs Sanctuary. So, his mate had returned there, with Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu. Shakisa also went back to the small cave with Yakta. Only Kilia had refused to go to the Cubs Sanctuary with Hawaa, or even to let her daughter to go there. Her main argunemt was that her daughter would be much safer on Pride Rock. Hawaa had complained that she couldn't play with Nuka if she stayed on Pride Rock, but, after her mother's extensive explanation that she would be much safer on Pride Rock, she eventually accepted, even if unwillingly, and even if she complained more than ten times each day for not playing with Nuka.

Meanwhile, all the Pridelanders were waiting for Nala's return. On the first day of her absence, Scar had noticed that she wasn't there, and asked what had happened. Sarafina gave the only logical answer – which was, in a way, part of the truth – and said that Nala had gone to look for some place where they could actually survive the drought. Scar said that they couldn't leave Pride Rock without being checked if there would be a safe chance of the newborn cubs getting to that place, but, eventually, he also had another idea. He said that, if Nala didn't return after some time, there would be necessary to divide the Golden Pride in small patrols, for them to find some place to survive the drought. None of the Pridelanders got very satisfied with that idea, but they hoped that Nala returned before Scar decided to send the Golden Pride to search for a sanctuary.

But Sarabi, eventually, proved that she had a better idea, and she didn't waste any time in exposing it on another of their secret nocturnal meetings. Why not making Nala to return exactly when the Golden Pride was in reconnaissance? That plan was much better. If Nala returned while the desert lions were absent, the Pridelanders would only have to kill the hyenas, take down Scar and Zira, and then they could kill all the Golden Lions, who wouldn't be expecting an ambush at all.

To make sure that Nala didn't appear out of the proper moment, Sarabi asked Tojo to place Bawa, Fidole and Ubele looking out for her, on the eastern border. She would almost certainly return from that side, because she had gone through there.

But, eventually, almost two weeks after Nala's departue, she hadn't still returned. Sarabi was getting slightly impatient, and even rather quick-tempered, what wasn't usual in her.

Because of that, and also for some other reasons, Shani was getting worried with her mother. She had been acting too differently from her old self, from before the Great Drought.

That was one of the reasons why she decided to speak with someone. While most of the Pridelanders were on the hunt, some of them had stayed behind, as a reservation. Sakia and Shani were among those, and, using a moment that all the other pride members were resting, Sarabi's daughter went to the greyfurred lioness.

"Uh… aunt Sakia?" asked Shani to the lioness.

"What do you want, my dear?" asked Sakia.

"Uh… may I speak to you?" asked Shani. "Privately?"

Sakia found it a little bit strange that the young lioness wanted to speak with her privately, but she said: "OK."

The two lionesses went to the eastern edge of Pride Rock. Sakia soon understood that, whatever Shani had to tell her, should be actually serious, because she was trying to go as far as possible from the other Pridelanders and the hyenas. It seemed that Shani still wanted to go further, but Sakia said: "We should stay here, Shani. We don't know when the hunting team will return. If we are absent, we may have to face many embarassing questions."

"Alright." said Shani, staying there.

"So… speak, my dear. What do you want to tell me?" asked Sakia.

Shani inhaled deeply, and then, said: "Well, aunt Sakia… no offense meant to any other Pridelander, but you seem to be one of the little members who still has some sense in the middle of all those crazy ones."

"Well… you haven't offended me." said Sakia. "But what do you mean with the fact that they are crazy? Remember you are also telling that about your mother…"

"I mean… what is their problem with uncle Scar?" asked Shani. "I know that his ways of rulling are a little bit… uh… strange, but so far, no harm happened to us. I mean, we are healthy, and live relatively well, in spite of this drought. So, why do they want so much to see out of the throne? What is mom's problem with uncle Scar?"

Sakia just listened to all the questions that Shani did, and in fact, many of those were also her questions. And she didn't know exactly how to answer. But she tried her best.

"Shani…" began Sakia very hesitantly. "Don't judge your mother too hard. Well, she… loved your father and brother very deeply, and seeing them taken away from her so suddenly without being able to do anything affected her very much."

"Well… I also don't have a father and a brother, and I'm not as her…" said Shani very hesitantly.

"Maybe that's the whole point." said Sakia. "You never had them. It's hard to miss something that you never had. Only when we have something and then we lose it we give to what we lost the real value."

Shani could understand that. Somehow, she also felt that she never gave Kisasian the deserved value until she lost him for Adia. But there was another question.

"Uh… aunt Sakia. How was dad like? I mean… how was he as a king?" asked the lioness.

"Well…" began Sakia hesitantly. "Your father was a good lion. His only problem was his constant conflict with Scar."

"They were never friends?" asked Shani, confused.

"Not exactly." said Sakia. "But, going to the main matter… well, I don't think we have exactly the right to judge them. For example, Mufasa's conflict with Scar jumped to a new extreme when your grandfather Ahadi was killed by hyenas. The same hyenas that Scar invited to live here, and that have been useful to help us, in spite of their now countless attempts of rebellion."

"But… how could Scar accept those hyenas here, after they had killed his father?" asked Shani, confused. "Didn't he love his father? I mean… the hyenas also killed aunt Jani's mother… and her attitude is completely different from Scar's."

"I don't know, my dear." replied Sakia. "Probably Scar learnt to forgive better than all of us. Or maybe he somehow predicted that a disaster like a Great Drought would come, and understood that having the hyenas would make easier for us to survive the drought."

"It has some logic." said Shani. "But… as far as I was told, King Mohatu was a kid when he began rulling, and also protected two prides – in fact, these two prides – and he is praised."

"Now, he is praised." said Sakia. "But probably during all the years of the Great Drought, he was looked upon more or less like most of the Pridelanders look to Scar today. I don't know. Today, the only creature that I know to have seen any day of Mohatu's reign is Tanin, but he disappeared from the Border River some time ago. We may ask him when he returns, after the end of the Great Drought."

"But I still don't get exactly one thing." said Shani. "Why is mom so crazy at seeing Scar deposed?"

"It's more because of Zira, most likely." said Sakia. "Your mother and Zira could have been many things, but friends they never were surely."

"So… is mom power-hungry?" asked Shani, beginning to get intrigued.

Sakia almost wanted to laugh at that comment, but she managed to restrain the laughter, and said, with voice as calm as possible: "Shani, like I said… your mother is sick from love… don't blame her too hard."

"So…" asked Shani. "Does it mean that mom now feels completely lonely, just because dad and Simba were taken away from her, and she can't do anything to recover them?"

"Yes, that's the whole point." said Sakia.

"I kind of have the same problem…" whispered Shani. In fact, she wasn't planning to tell it, it was only a loud thinking, but Sakia heard it.

"What did you say?" asked the greyfurred lioness, faking surprise.

"Uh…" managed to say the violet-eyed lioness, blushing a lot. "Nothing at all, aunt Sakia, thanks for…"

Shani turned back to go away, but Sakia stepped on her tail, and said: "No, you will explain that to me…"

The young lioness slowly turned to the other. At first, she didn't want to say, but the blue-eyed lioness said: "Will you tell me, or not? I won't let you go away while you don't tell me, so…"

Shani didn't know exactly what to do, but the only thing that seemed reasonable was telling the truth. She said: "Uh… it's Kisasian. I…"

She didn't manage to tell further, but Sakia guessed the intention. Her jaw dropped like if she had a line with a stone tied on it. For some time, the greyfurred lioness was completely surprised, unable to reply. Sakia only said: "You love Kisasian? Since… how long?"

"Since… forever, basically." admitted Shani, sadly. "I mean… I had a cubbish crush on him… but it began to develop into something more serious…"

"But… Kisasian said that you drove him away!" said the blue-eyed lioness, surprised.

"It was part of the plan." said Shani. "I mean… on the night after I telling him that I couldn't be his friend because mom didn't let me, I had an idea. I wanted to tell it to Kisasian, but he never let me come close to him. I planned to wait until I made my first hunt… then uncle Scar could grant us marriage… it is allowed marriage between cousins if the king approves it…"

"I know that." thought Sakia. "In fact, one of Mega's first attempts to bring some peace to this pride was marry you with Kisasian, but your mother didn't agree…"

"… and so, after that, we could leave and start our own pride!" kept. "But, when I was only a year and a half old, those Desert Lions appeared… and Adia came with them… and she stole Kisasian from me…"

"How ironical." thought Sakia. "Both you and your mother had your beloved stolen by a desert lioness."

But then, Sakia remembered a problem. If Shani was holding a grudge against the Golden Pride… wouldn't that automatically make her side with her mother? She was fearful of asking, but that question had to be made.

"What do you plan on doing about that?" asked the greyfurred lioness fearfully.

"Nothing." said Shani, eventhough her voice didn't exactly express it. "I mean, if it was just for me, I would teach that Adia a lesson or two… but Kisasian would never forgive me. It would just be even worst."

As much as it could be hard to admit, Adia wasn't exactly the nicest of the lionesses towards Shani, and one of the general fears of both prides was that one day they would end up in a physical fight. But, as long as Kisasian was around Adia, she could be considered safe.

"I guess that I'm even worst that mom is." thought Shani. "Dad and Simba died, and she can't have them again, because she can't bring them back from the dead. But I have Kisasian here, and, if not for that dammed Adia, I could have him for me! No, the fact of me losing him was also the result of my stupidity by leaving him vacant! But what could I do? Oppose mother, like I'm going to do now? But I was just a four months old cub on that time! Maybe that was the mistake… Kisasian was also a cub only when he lived alone… oh… Kisasian, why it had to be? Why? If there was at least one way of making you stop loving Adia… but I can't do that. I don't go that low…"

This time, she was being extra careful for not to voice out any of her thoughts to Sakia. The only problem was that the greyfurred lioness could think it was strange for her to be silent for so long. Fortunately, Sakia was also busy with her own thoughts, and barely paid attention to Shani's long silence.

"I can't tell you of what your mother did… but your way of acting is better. You understand that you can't break Kisasian and Adia apart. If only your mother had thought the same way when she fought Zira!" said Sakia in mind. "You would make a very good queen… if you got the chance."

"So…" said Shani. "There is going to be a war, most likely. And we must do as much as we could to stop it. So I ask: are you with me, aunt Sakia?"

"Uh… yes." said Sakia. Shani didn't like the hesitation contained in the voice of the greyfurred lioness, but she ignored it. In an attempt to make Shani to forget that small point, Sakia asked: "So, what is your plan?"

"The best solution would be to tell the Golden Ones about mom's plot." said Shani. "But they wouldn't believe, for certain."

Sakia knew it was truth. The two prides could live together, but it was in a very fragile harmony, that was being kept only by Scar. If appeared another member to the place of king that made a conflict with Scar, there would be problems.

"And mom would never forgive me." added Shani, in an almost sobbing voice. "I also don't want an open conflict with my mother."

"Any plan B?" asked Sakia with slightly sarcastic voice.

"Yes." said the golden lioness. "On the time of the battle, try to convince mother and Pridelanders that this bloodshed won't bring exactly the easiest way to peace. Sorry, but I don't have any better idea…"

"Probably it is our best hope." said Sakia, hesitantly. She added: "But what will you do, if you have to choose?"

"I will choose to try to prevent chaos, and not to hurt mom." said Shani, almost crying. "I guess she's already hurt enough in her heart. I love mom, but I can't let her to do that."

But there was one problem, that she didn't dare to tell Shani. She wanted Scar on the throne with all her heart, but, as a matter on fact, she wasn't feeling brave enough to support any of the sides. If her weakness prevailed, she would most likely end up siding with Pridelanders, in spite the fact of not supporting their idea.

"Oh… if I only had half of the bravery and value that you have, my dear." thought Sakia, barely repressing her tears. "You are brave enough to stand up to your mother… I don't know if I would to the same in your place."

But, trying to drive that problem away, Sakia said: "Uh… if you don't have anything more to tell me, I guess we should go to the cave and try to rest. We will need our strength to hunt. Besides, there's nothing to worry about until Nala returns."

And so, the two lionesses returned to the shade, trying to rest, but none of them could actually do it, because they were feeling very worried with other them.

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Someone also feeling worried was Nala, in the middle of the desert, with Ni's pack. She had been staying with them for nearly two weeks, but the pictures of her pride, facing the Great Drought, were constantly coming to her mind.

Of course, she also faced the Great Drought, but there, on the middle of the desert, things were somehow different. First, she had a constant shelter from the sun in the cave, except when she wasn't in it. And second, hunting there wasn't as hard. One of the reasons for it was that in the pack were only eight mouths to feed, counting on herself. And the other was that it was relatively easy to find preys on that place. Of course, Ni once told that the preys existing on that place made up for the relative abundance at being much harder to catch, but at least they knew where to find them.

Nala tried to delay the business of her departue as soon as possible, because, every time she prepared to do it, Hidaya and the other lionesses raised up a lot of questions, not too important ones, but that would end up making her to reveal a lot of facts, that she shouldn't tell, for not to feed a lie even more.

But, after being on the pack, she eventually prepared for her departue. She slept a lot during the day, because it would be easier to travel on the desert at night. Fortunately, there weren't any signs of a sandstorm in the sky during the day

At the sunset, after bringing back an ostrich that she had hunted, she finally prepared for announce her departue.

She went to Ni, and said: "Uh… Ni, may I talk to you?"

"Sure, Nala." said the lion. "What do you wish?"

"Well…" said Nala, hesitantly. "To leave."

"To leave?" asked Ni, confused.

Nala prepared herself to explain, but, before she could do it, Udama struck her with the usual questions: "Why do you want to leave? What is the problem with you?"

"I was just about to explain that to Ni." replied the lioness, narrowing her eyes. "But with you speaking, it will be rather hard."

"Oh… sorry." said Udama.

So, Nala walked to Ni, and said: "Ni, I didn't want to tell you this at first, but what I'm doing is: I'm searching for a new place for my pride to survive the Great Drought…"

"And you came to steal ours!" shouted Lisha angrily.

Ni gave her an angry glare, and the lioness got silent. Honestly, Nala was beginning to get rather sick of those lionesses. But she couldn't lose her reason in such a moment. So, she inhaled deeply to keep her calm, and said: "No, I didn't come to steal anything. But the main point is: our king will never let us to leave the Pride Lands."

"Why would he do that?" asked Hidaya, confused.

"If the Pride Lands are as affected by the Great Drought as you told me, I don't think your pride will last much longer." said Ni thoughtfully. "But I don't understand… Scar seemed a nice king when I visited that place. Why is he so stubborn at not leaving the Pride Lands?"

"I don't know." said Nala. "But that's not the important matter."

"I'd say so…" said Ni. "If he had any important reason, maybe he could be understood… but it seems he's only being stubborn.

"And that's not the worst part." kept Nala. "Those hyenas are growing more and more crazy, and Scar has invited a strange pride to live in the Pride Lands."

"Is he a lunatic?" asked Kinah. "In normal conditions, it wouldn't be exactly easy for an average domain to stand the existence of two prides and a hyena clan, but in a Great Drought…"

"Well, that's why I must leave." said Nala. "I must find help."

"Oh… is there anything we can do for you?" asked Joe. "Like… helping you with Scar?"

Nala looked at Joe almost angrily. This was exactly what she feared. That they would offer to help her. They would die as well… because it seemed she always carried bad luck.

The worst part was that all the lionesses, and even Karimu, seemed relatively willing in helping her. Some more than others, but all wanted. Nala would have to stop it. Somehow.

She said as firmly as possible: "Uh… thanks for the offer, but no, I don't think it will be necessary."

"Are you sure?" asked Ni, worriedly. "I mean, how does your pride plan on taking another pride and a clan?"

"We have a plan." said Nala. "And we also have some powerful friends to help us."

What she said was a lie, and she knew it far too well. They didn't have any concrete plan to get rid of Pridelanders and Golden Ones, and as for powerful friends helping them…. they hadn't any at all. But she couldn't cause the death of more lions. She had already caused Bovu's death. That was why she was telling more lies – to save Ni's life.

But there was another problem, that Nala was forced to consider. In fact, they didn't have any way of defeating Golden Pride and hyenas at the same time. If the rival pride and the clan attacked together, they didn't stand a chance. Maybe asking for Ni's help wouldn't be such a bad idea. It did imply a possible risk of Ni dying, but if they fought Scar's followers all together they didn't stand a chance, and then they would almost surely be killed. Not that Scar wanted to kill Pridelanders, but maybe the desert lions and the hyenas couldn't control themselves. So, maybe asking for reinforcements wouldn't be bad. But she would have to think about it.

"I will have to think a little bit." said Nala. "If I decide that I want your help, I'll come to ask you for it."

"Oh… well, you decide…" said Ni. "Well… goodbye…"

With the last word, Ni hugged Nala friendly. Nala retributed the hug, and after that, all the other members of the pack hugged her. After the goodbyes, the only thing that Nala could do was to walk east, because she was sure that if she stayed a single moment more on that place, her decision of going would be undone. That was something she didn't want. She wasn't in fact very sure with coming to ask for Ni's help. It could turn out bad for him. She just hoped that her words were enough to calm her friend down.

But Nala didn't leave Ni as assured and calm as she hoped for. No, Ni was feeling very worried about Nala, and knew perfectly that she just did not call for his help just for not to endanger him. And he had a plan.

After telling the plan to his whole pack (who agreed) Ni gave an order to Karimu. The Egyptian vulture nodded, and took off.

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_Well... what do you think? Please, review! I still need opinions!_

_P.S: Once again, I suggest you to check you TakaPL's fanfic called "Sweet Dreams" which talks more about Shani and Adia. _


	60. Chapter 59: Feeling the love tonight

_Well... here it comes another chapter... with the scene that probably most readers were waiting for more anxiously. Well... just for you to know, the first scene with Rafiki takes place at the same time of Nala's departue from Ni's pack, and the scene with Timon and Pumbaa takes place on the day after. Well... most of this chapter is only novelisation of films... but I hope it is well written. Well... the Can You Feel The Love Tonight scene may seem strange... but it was necessary to mix The Lion King and The Lion King 1,5. Sorry. Well, the song that I call "Can You Feel the Love Tonight part 2" is in fact an early version of the song, and it's copyrighted to Disney. Now that it's over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 59 – Feeling the love tonight**

While many lions were worried about the future, mandrills tried to guess it. At least, a particular mandrill, living on the Tree of Life. Rafiki had decided to make a divination, trying to discover what would be the future of the Pride Lands. The Great Drought had already been lasting too much for his taste. In a few days, it would make three years of a Great Drought, and the mandrill didn't recall any dry season that serious, with one possible exception. The worst drought that he had heard of was the one during Mohatu's reign, that also lasted three years. According to what he knew, that drought had been even harder than the one that Scar was facing, but Mohatu also didn't have an entire clan to take care of. The future was worrying him. If the drought kept going for another year, or even another month, the survival of the prides and the clan would be very uncertain. And there was another thing intriguing him. Ever since Nala's departue, almost two weeks ago, there had already been heavy clouds on the sky. On normal conditions, those clouds would have been enough to bring rain and finish the drought, but there was always one very strange thing that happened. After staying there for a few hours, the clouds were taken by the wind. They returned on the next day or two days after, . As if they were waiting for something.

So, he turned to the only possible choice of trying to guess the future. Divination. Maybe some help from the Great Kings of the Past would make easier to see what the future would bring.

So, he grabbed some leaves, and some of his fruits, and placed it all into a big turtle shell that he had. Waving the turtle shell in a special way, he tried to guess the signals that appeared there. To make it more sure, he went to the divination wall, and painted Scar and Zira on it. The combined result should give him one good idea of what was to come, and what should happen.

After finishing the paintings of Scar and Zira, he looked again into his turtle shell, trying to interpretate the signals that it was giving to him.

"Uh… let's see… these signals made by the darker leafs mean that the drought is coming to an end… but the end can't yet arrive…" mumbled Rafiki to himself. "…because for the drought to end one part of one confict must be ended first… but what confict exactly?"

Trying to figure out the exact answer for his problem, Rafiki looked once again to the paintings of Scar and Zira made in the divination wall. He gasped from surprise. While he had his back turned on it, some signals had taken shape over Scar's painting. Some dark signals, looking vaguely like a lion's pawprint.

"The signal of end!" said Rafiki, surprised. "So… Scar's time is going to end soon… but it is going to be necessary for the drought to end…"

But his amazement was almost as big when he noticed other strange signals that had formed over Zira's painting, looking like four slashes from a lion's claws.

"The signal of a fight!" said the shaman again.

But his surprise was even bigger when he noticed that another thing had disappeared. The signal that looked like two crossed rings that should be between Scar and Zira, showing that the two were together by wedding, was not there anymore. It meant that the two would be broken apart.

It took him some time to calm down, but then, it came another problem. Looking again into the turtle shell, he saw other signals that had taken shape. He said: "So… this must be done… it seems that it is getting a shape… so, let's see… for the drought to end…. Scar's time as king must end… but Zira will have a serious fight after that… so… the part of the conflict that must be ended is going to be done with Scar's death… but the war between Pridelanders and Golden Pride will continue, specially with Scar dead! There is some missing element on this… someone, who will have a serious role to finish the first part of the conflict, must return! But who? I can't see it..."

Honestly, Rafiki was beginning to feel rather desperate, because the divination wasn't exactly giving clear results. He knew that it was normally a rather unclear thing, and it could take some time to interpretate the signals, just as the signals could also take some time to form. Yes, maybe the best decision would be to wait some time, and let the signals to be stable. So, in an attempt to get some calm, the mandrill climbed to the top of the tree, hoping to relax.

But, after some time on the top of the tree, he had a big surprise. Some milkweed was coming to him, brought by the wind, who knows from how far. The shaman grabbed it, and sniffed it. After that, he realixed that there was something disturbing about it… the milkweed carried a scent, that he couldn't recall exactly from who it was, but it could possibly be the missing element on the divination.

Rafiki bounded down to his tree, and placed the milkweed into the turtle shell, and sifted it around. Hoping that it would bring some clarifying, he grabbed one of his fruits, and ate some of its juice. He looked at the painting. Finally, it was all being logical. It was almost certain that Scar would die… but it would also be necessary to end this part of the conflict. The someone who had to come would solve that part of the conflict, but would have to face another one.

According to the divination, the conflict between both prides was destined to end in the reign of the one who would come… the question was exactly when it would end. And, even more important, who was the one to come? But Rafiki looked better at the shape formed by the leafs, and then, realization dawned into him as he looked at the long forgotten smeared painting across another wall.

"Simba? He's-he's alive? He he-he's alive!" said Rafiki, suddenly laughing, probably from both relief and despair.

He went to het his stick at a corner of the tree, and brought it to Simba's painting. Then, he grabbed some red paint and placed a mane on the smeared image of the lion across the wall. Now, it was undoubtable.

"It is time!" said Rafiki with a smile, looking at the painting again.

But then, it came another problem. Where was Simba exactly? Well, the leaves were brought by the eastern wind, so he should be east. But there was one way to determine it more precisely.

Rafiki grabbed one of his stones. This one also looked like an arrow, but was from a different kind of rock of the one that the stone used for Nala was. If he spinned it over a flat stone, the arrow would point to the direction where Simba was. Rafiki only had to think of the someone that he wanted to find – namely Simba.

The arrow ended up pointing east, so Simba was east. Rafiki had to go there. But then… Nala had gone east as well… would she find Simba? Whatever, Rafiki had to find him, and bring him back, because it was for Simba that the end of the drought was waiting. The drought would end only with Simba on the Pride Lands again. Rafiki grabbed his stick, prepared to find the supposely dead prince.

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Timon and Pumbaa, unlike Rafiki, had no problems with the drought, because Hakuna Matata hadn't been affected by the disaster at all. So, the insectivores just walked in the jungle, enjoying their peaceful life on their paradise. They were so happy, that they even sang. Or at least, Timon sang: "_In the jungle / The mighty jungle_/_The lion sleeps tonight_ /_In the jungle_ /_ The mighty jungle_ / _The lion sleeps tonight"_

Pumbaa wasn't singing with Timon, but heaccompanied the rhythm. However, when a big blue tasty-looking bug landed in front of him, the warthog forgot about the singing, and began stalking the bug. Meanwhile, Timon sang: "_In the jung…"_

But the meerkat, realizing that he wasn't hearing Pumbaa's voice anymore, he called loudly: "I can't hear you buddy, back me up!"

Then, he concluded with good falsetto: "_A-WEEEE-ee-EE-ee ba-Pum-ba-bum-ba-way…"_

It was only when he stopped singing that the meerkat finally realized that Pumbaa wasn't there anymore.

"Ah Pumbaa… Pumbaa?" asked Timon, suddenly a little bit worry about what could have happened to his friend.

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While Timon looked for the warthog, Pumbaa had already gone very far from him, always stalking the bug, and waiting for the proper time to eat the tasty animal. He was so focused on the hunting that it was almost taking him to the limits of the jungle… and to danger. Lions and leopards were sometimes seen on the savannah of Hakuna Matata. They didn't enter the jungle, but it was dangerous for some creature of the jungle to go outside of it.

But Pumbaa, focused on his meal, didn't think of that, and ended up stalking the bug up to a log, still humming the bass in which he accompanied Timon's singing. But, suddenly, when the bug looked behind, Pumbaa hid behind a tree, licking his lips. When the bug turned forward again, and flew slightly further away, the warthog resumed the hunting, and tried to jump over the log. As a result, he got temporarially stuck in it. It was only then that he finally looked behind.

"Timon?" asked the warthog, spooked.

Only now, he had realized that the meerkat wasn't following him. In fact, there seemed to be no living creature around there, except himself and the bug. The warthog was intrigued, but he still wanted to catch the bug. So, he forgot Timon for some time, and made his way over the log, finally coming close of the tasty. But, just when Pumbaa was about to catch it, the bug flew off. And then, Pumbaa noticed something on the grass. It was much bigger than the bug… and much more dangerous.

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Nala was hiding in the high grass, stalking her prey. It had been only several hours since she left Ni and his pack. She had travelled through all the night and half of the day, and now, she had finally arrived to the place where her pride could survive the drought. A jungle. But… were they supposed to move to the jungle in order to survive the drought? Well, it was probably the closest place for them to get. The route through the desert was dangerous, but, if the exact cautions were taken, the newborn cubs would get there. They only needed to be cautious.

"I'm doing this for Shimo." thought Nala. "And for Bovu. And for Kilia as well. This is not for you at all, Scar. You may be our king, but that won't last for much longer, unless you rid off hyenas and Golden Pride!"

But, when she came closer, she spotted a wonderful view, specially in hard times like a Great Drought. The backside of a fat warthog. Initially, she was uncertain. The warthog was large, and if he was aggressive, it could be dangerous to get him directly. Besides, warthogs were fast, in spite of their size. If they felt the danger, it was hard to get them. But, because the suine was stalking a bug, Nala thought that she could get a proper surprise element.

"I will eat like a queen!" thought Nala.

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Pumbaa only shouted from fear. If he hadn't been so surprised, maybe he could have reacted more calmly and rationally, but when the lioness jumped from the high grass with a roar, baring her teeth and extending her claws, the warthog only managed to back away over the log, and run as fast as he could into the jungle, hoping to confused the lioness.

But she should be hungry, because she did one thing that no other predator had done. She followed her prey into the jungle. Lions rarely did such a thing.

Meanwhile, not too far from there, Timon heard some sounds. He heard sounds of a lion chasing something… and the sounds of the poor prey. The prey of the lion was one that he knew well, from what he managed to identify.

"Pumbaa?" asked Timon with scared voice.

Suddenly, both sounds became louder, making clear for Timon that the predator was gaining ground, and also that his best friend was the one being chased.

"Pumbaa! Pumbaa!" shouted Timon, running towards the noises.

He knew he had no chance of taking on a lion, but he wouldn't leave his friend to die without doing his best to save him. Of course, his best wasn't much, at least compared to a lion… but it was always better than nothing. His last hope was that Simba also heard the sounds and also went to check out. But, with Simba or without Simba, the meerkat was determined to not to abandon his friend.

Meanwhile, Pumbaa had managed to gain some ground again, mainly because the lioness, even if hungry, was not used to chase her prey in the jungle. But, unfortunately, one of his desperate attempts of escape was in vain. He tried to squeeze through the root of a tree, but he got stuck there.

On that moment, Timon arrived, and asked to the warthog with worried voice: "Hey, what's going on?"

"SHE'S GONNA EAT ME!" shouted Pumbaa terrified, trying to squeeze himself from under the root.

The meerkat looked over the log, and saw the lioness charging towards them. He got down, trying to push Pumbaa out from under the root with his best.

"Woah, jeez, why do I always gotta save your…" asked Timon, slightly annoyed.

But the end of the sentence transformed into a shout when he saw how the lioness was close of them. She prepared to pounce, and get her meal.

In normal conditions, probably it would have happened what always came in such situations: Pumbaa's special power would get in action, and the poor lioness would run away from warthogs for the rest of her life. But this time, it wasn't necessary. And Pumbaa knew it, because he saw his real rescuer arriving.

Just before the lioness pounced, another lion jumped from the other side of the root. Simba had also heard Pumbaa's shouts, and ran to save his friend. The surprised lioness stopped, without knowing what to do. Simba used the opportunity to pin her to the ground, and tried to reach her neck with his paw. He didn't want to kill her, just keep her immobile. But she, taking the lion's intentions rather wrongly, tried to plunge her claws in her opponent's body. It didn't injure him hardly, but at least she was free, because Simba jumped back when he felt the unexpected pain. The lioness used the chance to get up.

"Don't worry, buddy, I'm here for ya, everything's gonna be OK." said Timon in a calming voice to the warthog, while the lioness fought their friend.

Trying to do his part, he decided to give some moral support to Simba: "Get her! Bite her head! Go for the jugular, to the jugular!"

Seeing that Simba was winning, he turned to Pumbaa, and said: "See, I told you he'd come in handy!"

Meanwhile, Simba pounced on the lioness, ready to trap her. She rolled backwards, and pinned her opponent to the ground, baring her teeth. Meanwhile, Simba's expression was no longer threatening, but surprised. There was only one lioness who was able to pin him down, at least that easily. She was…

"Nala?" asked the surprised lion.

Simba could be surprised, but surely he didn't get more surprised than the lioness, who stopped baring her teeth and gave some steps backwards. Simba got up, and, after just some seconds of close examination, he said: "It's really you."

"Who are you?" asked Nala, confused.

She wasn't recognizing that lion at all. How did he know who she was?

"It's me. Simba." said the lion.

"Simba?" asked Nala, in complete disbelief.

The lion nodded hopefully. And then, Nala realized. It was Simba. This lion had the same facial features than her cubhood friend, the same colours… even a simmilar expression. But how could he be alive? Well, Nala always had some hope that Simba could be alive. After all, his body had never been found. But how could he be there? How had he managed to cross that desert? After some time, Nala decided that those questions, and all the others that she had, could be asked later.

Nala smiled widely and ran into her friend. Simba did the same, and their foreheads bumped together, in a cub like greeting. Just like she had to Shimo, only four months before… but she didn't even think of it. Now, Simba was there, and only he was important now.

Simba seemed as delighted as Nala, and as they both ran around each other, both made a lot of questions that the other seemed not to be listening.

Meanwhile, Timon, who was getting confused, advanced to the two lions, and asked: "What's going on here?"

But both Simba and Nala ignored him, as they kept focused on each other.

"What are you doing here?" asked Simba, curious.

Nala seemed not to understand the question. After all, she was also about to ask it, but to see it asked by her friend was more disturbing. He was assumed dead for the last four years and four months, she should be the one asking it.

"What do you mean What am I doing here?" asked Nala. "What are you doing here?"

"HEY!" shouted Timon, who was getting rather disturbed for being ignored. "WHAT'S GOIN'ON HERE!?"

The two friends looked at the meerkat for some time. They seemed confused, almost as if they had forgot his presence. But shortly after, Simba said with a smile: "Timon, this is Nala. She's my best friend!"

"Friend?" asked Timon, confused.

And after all, nobody could blame him for that. If that lioness was Simba's friend, why would Simba would fight her? And why would she eat Pumbaa, who was friend of her friend?

"Yes!" insisted Simba. But then, he remembered another of his friends, and said: "Hey, Pumbaa! Come here!"

The warthog finally managed to get himself unstuck. He looked at the lion, surprised. wondering what Simba could want from him. Simba passed to the introductions: "Nala, this is Pumbaa. Pumbaa, Nala."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance" said Pumbaa, smiling friendly.

"The pleasure's all mine." said Nala, smiling. She had no idea how it happened that Simba was friend with two creatures that any ordinary lion would consider prey, but if that had happened, Nala had the duty of being friendly with them.

For a moment, Simba felt some sadness for not being able to introduce Nala to Mkalimu. But he remembered that, after all, Mkalimu seeing him from the stars. So, she should be seeing this currently. And he soon wiped Mkalimu's memory to a corner of his mind, when Timon began asking to Nala: "How do you do…"

But, before he concluded the question, he said: "Whoa! Whoa. Time out… Lemme get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's… okay with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?"

Timon jumped up and down, extremely nervous. Simba bended down to him and said: "Relax, Timon."

But Simba himself did not relax when he heard the next sentences that Nala said to him. These were the ones that he feared the most.

"Wait til everybody finds out you've been here all this time!" said Nala enthusiastically. Then, she added with worried voice: "And your mother… what will she think?"

"I don't even want to think what she'll say when she finds out what I've done." thought Simba. He was sure that his mother's reaction would be anything but happy. What he feared the most was that his mothe knew that. He only said to Nala: "She doesn't have to know! Nobody has to know!"

"Well, of course they do." said Nala. "Everybody thinks you're dead!"

"They do?" asked Simba, confused.

He knew that his uncle Scar would explain the situation to the pride… but he had not imagined that Scar would explain things like that, surely.

"Yes." insisted Nala, with some sadness in her eyes, at recalling all the years that spent since her friend's disappearing.

Only now she realized how much she had actually missed him. And how much she actually loved him. She had not considered marrying him before… but only now she thought how she was being stupid. Not wanting to get silent too much time, she said: "Scar told us about the stampede."

"Oh, yes?" asked Simba. "What else did he tell you?"

Now he was seeing something. If his uncle Scar had told everything to the pride, how could Nala have something to tell him? Did they think he was a murderer?

But, much to his surprise, Nala only said with a smile: "What else matters? You're alive. And that means… you're the king."

Nala smiled radiantly as never before in the talking. This couldn't be more perfect to her. With Simba alive, she would be able to go with him to the Pride Lands, he would become king, because he was rightful descendant, and then, she and Simba would rule the Pride Lands! For Nala, rulling wasn't the important part. The important part was to be at her beloved Simba's side. And she was sure that Simba also wanted to be by her side. She could see it in his eyes.

Whatever the answer that Simba expected from Nala, it wasn't exactly that. Now, he was beginning to see a rather dark future. In the beginning, Nala's arrival seemed perfect. They would just live together in the jungle… free… in love… but then, Nala's words as if were forcing him to go back and face his past. He didn't want that. He didn't want to be… a murderer. To face the whole pride's anger. To be an outcast again.

If Simba was confused, Timon and Pumbaa were even more. After all, they knew from little to nothing about Simba's past. He had never told anything to them. But Timon was the first to recover. He said: "King? Pbbb. Lady, have you got your lions crossed?"

Only after that, Pumbaa was able to react. And what he did was even worse than what Timon did. He groveled at Simba's paws and said: "King? Your Majesty! I gravel at your feet!"

He kissed Simba's paw noisily, until the lion pulled it off, and said with annoyed voice: "Stop!"

Timon went to his friend, and corrected him, while patting his nose: "It's not gravel. It's grovel! And don't, he's not the king…"

But suddenly, a doubt crossed his head. A fair one. After all, Simba had never told them about his past… neither Timon or Pumbaa did to him. What if that was true? Maybe Simba could really be a king. There was only one way to confirm. He asked to the lion: "Are ya?"

"No!" said Simba, almost too quickly.

"Simba!" said Nala sternly.

Now that she had him, she needed to make him to go back. This time, she knew there wasn't any danger. Now it wasn't a matter of fighting, simply a matter of laws from the Pride Lands. If Simba was alive, he was also the rightful king. Scar had to step down. But Simba wasn't easying the task.

He got up, and began walking away, while saying: "No, I'm not the king. Maybe I was gonna be, but… that was a long time ago."

"Let me get this straight." said Timon, getting confused. "You're the king? And you never told us?"

"Look, I'm still the same guy." said Simba, turning to Timon, almost hopefully.

"But with power!" said the meerkat enthusiastically.

Suddenly, Nala bended down to Timon, and said apologetically: "Could you guys… excuse us for a few minutes?"

Timon walked to Pumbaa, tapped the warthog's nose, and said confidently, turning to his adopted son: "Hey, whatever she has to say she can do it in front of us, right Simba?"

The lion thought for a moment. As much as Timon and Pumbaa were his friends, and adopted parents… he didn't want them involved into such matters. He said: "Maybe you'd better go."

"It starts." said Timon resignedly, while he walked away. "You think you know a guy…"

Pumbaa only sighed, and followed Timon deep into the jungle. When the two friends had disappared, Simba said to Nala: "Timon and Pumbaa. You learn to love'em."

But then, he saw Nala's head bended down sadly, and her eyes were closed in a painful expression. He walked to her worriedly, and asked: "What… What is it?"

The lioness slowly raised her head to Simba, and said, with quiet and sad voice: "It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know how much this will mean to everyone."

Her expression got even more pained, when she added: "What it means to me."

"Hey, it's okay." said Simba, trying to calm her down.

"I've really missed you." said Nala, rubbing her head under Simba's chin and purring.

Initially, Simba got startled by Nala's boldness. But after all, it wasn't too bad for him, because he was feeling exactly the same. After the first instant of surprise, he retributed Nala's gesture, and said: "I've missed you too."

But, without knowing, the loving pair was being watched from bushes. Watched by two creatures that Simba had told to go away. Timon sighed heavily, and said: "I tell you, Pumbaa, this stinks."

"Oh, sorry." replied the warthog, getting up.

"Not you!" said the meerkat impatiently. "Them!"

They watched Simba and Nala walking away, towards the sunset.

"Him, her, alone…" said Timon.

"What's wrong with that?" asked Pumbaa.

/"Can you feel the love tonight?" introduction. Camera shows Timon and Pumbaa in the bushes. The parenthetical parts are Pumbaa speaking./

Timon:

_I can see what's happening _(What?)

_And they don't have a clue _(Who?)

_They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line_

_Our trio's down to two _(Oh.)

/Camera focuses on Timon. The meerkat makes theatrical movements. He jumps to Pumbaa's head on "There's magic."/

Timon:

_The sweet caress of twiling._

_There's magic everywhere_

/Timon jumps behind Pumbaa's head, and flops over it./

_And with all this romantic atmosphere_

_Disaster's in the air!_

/Timon raises his hands above in a dramatic gesture. Song ends./

"This is a disaster, Pumbaa!" insisted Timon. "A disaster, I tell ya!"

"You mean because they've finally found each other like two soulmates joined across the years by the bounds of true love?" asked Pumbaa dreamfully.

After all, he was sad at Simba going away, but if that would make him happy, he accepted. He watched his adopted son with a dreamful expression. But it seemed Timon didn't share the warthog's feelings, because he said, in patronizing voice: "Sweet, innocent, little Pumbaa…"

He added with alarmed voice: "She's going to put a stake right through the heart of our Hakuna Matata!"

"Oh, they maybe we should do something." said Pumbaa.

That wasn't exactly what he was picturing with Simba and Nala together. He simply hoped that Nala would join Hakuna Matata, not that she destroyed it. Fortunately, or not, Timon had an idea to stop the destruction of Hakuna Matata.

"And I know exactly what it is." said Timon incisively. "Pumbaa… we can't let them feel the love tonight!"

Timon whispered something into Pumbaa's ear. He agreed, and they tried plan A. Timon fired a blow-dart at Nala, and it stick in her paw. But it didn't work out so well when Simba gallantly pulled it out and spat it at random. Unfortunately, Timon's butt was "at random", like the meerkat's painful cry announced.

Then, they tried plan B. Timon climbed to a tree with a spider, and lowered it like a yo-yo to the two lions. But the part of the spider encountering a female wasn't in the meerkat's calculations. The two spiders eyed romantically, and weaved a buch of heart-shaped webs behind the nuzzling lions.

"It's so romantic!" said Pumbaa, smiling.

Maybe he wouldn't have thought the same if he had seen Timon wrapped up in a cocoon of spider-silk. Whatever, the meerkat surely wasn't thinking about it as romantic. But it didn't mind, he had a plan C.

Timon and Pumbaa walked 'till behind Simba and Nala, and Timon threw a huge beehive at them. The problem is that… he only threw the beehive. The bees themselves stayed behind, very unsatisfied. Very unsatisfied with the meerkat destroying their house, to say so.

/"Can you feel the love tonight" part 1. Nala and Simba are going down through some rocks, passing in front of a waterfall./

Chorus:

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings…_

/Simba and Nala walk around each other, taking in each other's movements./

_The world, for once_

_In perfect harmony_

_With all it's living things…_

/Nala and Simba stop in a lake to drink water. We hear Simba's voice, but it seems like the voice is coming from his mind, because he doesn't move his lips./

Simba:

_So many things to tell her…_

_But how to make her see…_

_The truth about my past_

/Simba lifts his head to watch Nala, who is still drinking, says "Impossible" and continues./

_She'd turn away from me._

/Nala lifts her head, and we hear her singing voice. The voice also seems to come from her thoughts, because she isn't moving her lips. Camera changes it's perspective, so that we see Nala, and she looking at Simba./

Nala:

_He's holding back, he's hiding_

_But what I can't decide_

/Simba begins running off stage, smiling at Nala. Nala looks behind, confused./

_Why won't he be the king I know he is_

_The king I see inside?_

/Simba runs back in stage. Nala comes out of the way, and Simba runs with a vine on his mouth, jumping over the lake, and falling on it. On "the love" camera changes to Nala looking at the lake. Simba lunges at her and pulls her in the pond./

Chorus:

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

/Nala comes out of the water, dripping and miffed. Simba comes out, smiling at her. Nala smiles mischieviously and pushes him in the pond again./

_The peace the evening brings_

/Camera changes to Simba and Nala running through a plain, making several birds to take off. On "with all" camera changes for them playing fight in a small forest./

_The world for once, in perfect harmony_

_With all it's living things._

/Simba and Nala are still playing fight. The song stops temporarially./

Timon was with several bee stings on the head, and a black eye swollen shut. But that didn't stop him of trying plan D. He raised his thumb at Pumbaa, who nodded. The two friends pulled a vine, and Simba and Nala, who were playing fight towards it, fell downhill. But Timon, Pumbaa and their vine were thrown into the air.

/Song restarts. Camera follows Simba and Nala rolling down the hill. Then, it zooms in. Nala licks Simba's cheek./

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

/Simba looks startled, and looks at Nala. Nala smiles seductively at Simba. Simba begins understanding./

_You needn't look too far_

_Stealing through the night's uncertanties_

/Camera changes to Simba and Nala rubbing heads./

_Love is where they are_

Timon and Pumbaa ended up plunging into a tree, and disturbing a colony of butterflies. The colony flew around Simba and Nala, who were still rubbing their heads against each other. Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa fell out of the tree and crashed into the ground.

"Well, that worked like a dream."

"It did?" asked Pumbaa, confused, and whacking the side of his head, making a butterfly to pop out.

"Sarcasm is a foreign language to you, isn't it?" asked Timon. "Look!"

/"Can you feel the love tonight?" part 2. The lyrics are of a cut-version of this scene Simba and Nala begin walking after they've stopped rubbing their heads./

Chorus:

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_Won't you stay to see?_

_Stealing through_

_The night's uncertainties_

_A truth for you and me…_

/Nala gets in a bush, leaving Simba behind and looking at the stars. We hear Nala's voice as if it is coming from her thoughts, because she isn't moving her lips./

Nala:

_Somewhere there's a reason_

_Why I have to go?_

/Simba emerges from the bush with twigs trapped in his mane. Camera changes view to Nala's face, looking at Simba with loving eyes./

_To keep away from this star-crossed voyager_

_That I don't want to know?_

/Nala walks to Simba and gently takes the twigs of his mane. Simba begins singing. We again hear the voice as if it is coming from his thoughts./

Simba:

_Never trust the future_

/Simba and Nala nuzzle, and Simba begins singing, while they turn back to walk./

_Never miss the past_

_If you live for the shining moment_

_The moment may just last…_

/Camera changes to a small waterfall. We hear Nala's singing./

Nala:

_And can you feel the love tonight_

/Camera changes to Simba and Nala walking behind the waterfall./

_It is where we are_

/Simba rubs himself against Nala (a little bit like house cats rub against the legs of some people). They keep walking, and after a short moment they cuddle, while Nala keeps singing./

_It's enough_

_For this wide-eyed wandered_

_Love is where they are._

/Camera changes to the river in itself. We keep hearing Nala's voice singing. The parenthetical parts are some counterpoint singing./

Chorus:

_Can you feel the love tonight? (Can you feel the love?)_

_Won't you stay to see? (Won't you stay to see?)_

/Camera changes to Simba and Nala, sitting down on a rock on the edge of the waterfall, while nuzzling./

_Stealing through_

_The night's uncertanties_

_A truth for you and me_

/Camera steps back, allowing to see the jungle on both sides of the river, but still focusing on Simba and Nala./

_Stealing through_

_The night's uncertainties_

_A love for you and me…_

/Camera stops zooming out. Song ends./

Timon and Pumbaa were looking at Simba and Nala, sharing that romantic moment. And the sight wasn't good. At least for them.

"She's making those eyes…" said Timon.

"He's smiling that smile…" said Pumbaa.

"They're laughing…" said Timon. "And hugging… and, and, and…"

/"Can you feel the love tonight?" conclusion. Camera focuses on Timon and Pumbaa crying./

Timon:

_And if he falls in love tonight_

_It can be assumed_

/Timon hugs Pumbaa tearfully. The warthog places his hoof over the meerkat's shoulder./

Pumbaa:

_His carefree days with us are history_

/Timon releases Pumbaa, and both made half of a circle with their arm./

Timon and Pumbaa:

_In short our pal is doomed_

/Timon and Pumbaa burst in tears. Song finishes. Sudden cut to black./

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_Well... what did you think? Sorry if the Can You Feel The Love Tonight scene sounded strange, but it was the only way that came to my mind to mix the scenes of TLK and TLK1,5. But review, please! I still need opinions!_


	61. Chapter 60: An emergency plan

_Hello. Well... after a romantic chapter like the last one, here it comes another one. Attention please. The scenes in this chapter begin at the same time as the "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" scene of the last chapter begins. I hope you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 60 – An emergency plan**

Scar walked at Pride Rock, tired after a nocturnal patrol. Life on the Pride Lands was still going on, as well as possible in that critical situation. For more than once, Scar had hoped that rain would come, mainly because the dark clouds in the sky were coming more and more often. But, even when everyone assumed that the clouds were heavy enough to rain, they were taken by the wind before it could rain.

Prey herds were also getting slightly rare around there. Probably, if the rainy season didn't come in less than a month, there was the risk of them all either dying from hunger or being forced to leave the area.

However, currently it was still possible to hunt on the Pride Lands. This time, two teams had been formed. Both were formed by Pridelanders and Golden Ones. One of them went to the eastern part of the savannah, and another one to the western part. On the one that went to the eastern part, lead by Kira, the hunting had been going badly. The exhausted felines had been hunting for nearly the whole day, and still they hadn't found any food. Now, night was coming, and the team was getting tired. But the overall opinion was that it would be better to hunt on the dark night rather than be forced to do it on the hot morning of the following day.

And finally, about an hour after the sunset, preys were spotted. A small herd of zebras was there, right in front of them, eating from dried plants. The exhausted lions were coming close to their preys. They had been sneaking for a long time, knowing that they only had one try. They couldn't afford to lose.

"Almost…" was whispering Kira to herself, while she came closer and closer. "It's coming… NOW!"

The whole hunting team instantly jumped from out their covers. According to an established plan, they had divided into three smaller groups. Each one of the groups would try to get one of the zebras from the group. There were only three zebras, so, if all the groups had luck, the meal of that night would be almost a feast. It was risky for the whole group to run only to one of the preys. If they failed, there would be no more chances, but, by dividing them into three groups, the chances would be better.

The first group, lead by Sarabi, began running to one of the herbivores. The zebra was still far, but Sarabi, who was on the lead, was gaining ground with every step. After being almost behind her prey, the former queen prepared to pounce, but then, the zebra kicked. If it had hit the target, Sarabi would get seriously injured, perhaps even die, but fortunately, she managed to dodge it by crouching. But those few seconds costed her prey. As she ducked, she also tripped, and, overturned by the impulse, she fell on the ground. Before she managed to get up, the zebra had already gone too far. She called to her group with decisive voice: "Alright, stop! Save your strength! Now we won't get it!"

Sarabi's team obeyed the order, partially because they knew it was true. The second group, lead by Timiza, also hadn't much more luck, also allowing the zebra to escape.

But the third group, lead by Kira, had more luck. Each member attacked from a diferent direction, so the ungulate had not much hopes of escaping. But, when Kira pounced on her from the side, all the escaping changes were broken for the equid. The desert lioness pounced on the zebra's neck, trying to make her to fall. But, surprisingly, the equid struggled a lot, more than most of the members of that specie, and wasn't falling. Kira's grip wasn't solid, and the zebra managed to shake the lioness off, before preparing to run. However, when the zebra was about to get out of reach Sparthi grabbed the ungulate's back paws, and the zebra stopped. The weight of a lion was too much for the equid, who fell on the ground. Kira ran to the zebra with all her speed, and grabbed her neck in her jaws, securing the meal with her next bite. The zebra was struggling more and more weakly, and, after some time, she didn't struggle at all.

The two siblings finally released the zebra, panting slightly. Sparthi went to the zebra, and closed her dead eyes respectfully. The zebra could be a prey, but it was also a living creature. It was thanks to it that they would have a meal. So, the zebra deserved respect.

After recovering his breath, the lion turned to his sister.

"Nice shot, sis." said Sparthi.

"Thanks for your help." said Kira, still panting slightly. "If not for you, I think that the zebra would escape before I managed to kill her."

The Golden Ones present there cheered the capture made by their princess enthusiastically, but Pridelanders seemed disappointed.

"It was a good shot." said Sarabi grumpily. "But that zebra is so thin that divided by both prides and both hyenas, each member will get less than the necessary to fill the hole of a tooth."

"If you gave half of the energy that you use to your complains to hunting, now we would have two zebras instead of one." said Kira.

Golden Ones laughed at this comment. Well, they didn't exactly show it, but inside it was obvious that they were laughing. Seeing the former queen of the Pride Lands annoyed by their princess gave them some sort of cruel satisfaction, specially because Sarabi – most of the Pridelanders, but particularly Sarabi – was making everything possible to drive them out of that place.

Sarabi did her best for not to do to Kira the same that the desert lioness had done to the zebra. The simmilaritie between Kira and her older sister was obvious, but Kira had deep dark-blue eyes, unlike Zira's red eyes, and both her ears were full, unlike Zira, who had half of her right ear missing. Kira's physical built was also much heavier than Zira's, probably because she, in the royal family, had grown up much better fed than Zira, who had been treated like an outsider by the Pridelanders.

But Sarabi, rather than starting a fight – not because she didn't want to, but because of the consequences of it, and because there were Golden Ones around – just walked to Pride Rock, and said: "If you hunted it, then you also know how to carry it."

After completing the sentence, she finally left, followed by the rest of the Pridelanders, who didn't offer the slightest being of help to Golden Ones. Well, truth being told, no one of them had enough energy to get the zebra to Pride Rock, except Sparthi and Kira. Maybe it was because of some kind of "family toughness" that her older sister also had.

"Alright." said Kira in mind. "I carry it. Oh, Sarabi… I don't know how my sister has never killed you during all the years that you spent together."

And so, the Golden Ones, with Kira and Sparthi carrying the zebra on the lead, went to Pride Rock.

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Scar was almost arriving at Pride Rock. He felt like if every step taken took the last bit of energy out of him. He was surprised that he still had energy. He just hoped that Pridelanders would not complain on him again. they were quiet ever since almost two weeks before – since Nala's departue. But, when Scar began climbing Pride Rock, he understood that today, there would be more and more complains about their situation. Once he began climbing, he noticed Sarabi, Sarafina, Moyo, Mheetu, and Nuru waiting for him.

"Scar, we must talk." said Sarabi, almost as soon as when she saw him.

"Now." said Sarafina, almost before Sarabi finished speaking.

"Usually, the talkings are began with a "good night"." said a voice.

They looked behind, and saw Sparthi and Kira, who seemed to be just passing by. But the desert lion didn't stay around for long, and kept dragging their zebra to the "storage place". It was a small cave where, normally, but specially since the beginning of the Great Drought, all the preys hunted everyday were placed, to be portioned at the end of the day. This day, the hunting had been rather good: besides the zebra caught by the Kira's team, there was a wildebeest, caught by the team that had gone to the western part.

"You got the words out of my mouth." said Scar to his brother in law.

But then, he added to the group of lions that were waiting, and said: "We will speak, but only after the food is divided by everyone."

And so, they went to the storage place, where the pieces were again divided by the pride and the clan. Everyone got relatively large pieces. Scar delivered some extra pieces to Doria, Vii, and Thela, asking them to take the pieces to Zira and Shakisa, on the Cub's Sanctuary. On that moment, he only trusted Golden Pride to take care of his mate. Only them were completely willing to help in the care of the newborn cubs. Even on the cubs that weren't from him. They even seemed willing at taking care of the cubs of a rogue lion.

"If only Pridelanders and hyenas were half of the loyal that the Golden Pride is!" thought Scar while he delivered one piece of meat to Chumvi.

The reactions among the delivered pieces of food were very different from pride to pride. Every Golden One there looked at the meat as if it was a feast, but the Pridelanders slightly narrowed their eyes, as if they were saying: "On Mufasa's rule, we ate much more than this!"

But, eversince the last four months, no Pridelander dared to speak Mufasa's name. Among the Pridelanders, only Sakia, Uzuri, Mega, and Shani didn't complain. If it was because they thought they didn't have any reason to complain, or because they were just polite enough to hide their unsatisfaction, that was something Scar didn't know.

But the reactions of the Pridelanders were nothing compared to those of the hyenas, who seemed to forget that they were still getting more food that they would on the Elephant Graveyard. Probably, only the threat of another wave of Scar's punishment repressed them for showing their real feelings in a more open way.

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After the meal, Sarabi and the others went again to speak with Scar. Once again, the king was trying to get some rest, before a short nocturnal visit to Zira, but, once he saw Sarabi coming close to him, he understood that rest was the last thing that he would have. But he had told that he would speak with Sarabi after delivering the meal, so he got up, groaning in mind, and said: "What is it?"

He thought to know the answer, but, who knows, maybe this time it would be different. Much to his disappointment – but not to his surprise – it wasn't.

"Scar, something must be done about that situation! We can't keep here! We must go!" said the former queen, almost as if she was giving him an order. Maybe she actually was.

Scar raised his head, looked at Sarabi right in the eyes, and said, with impatient voice: "You know far too well my answer to that. I already told you. I won't leave the Pride Lands."

"What if we all starve to death?" asked Sarafina. "Don't you mind with that? If we want to survive, we must move away."

"Yeah, right." said Scar, ironically. "Nala also 'moved away' wanting to survive, and she's dead!"

"Why do you say…" asked Moyo, but then, for some moments, a terrible suspect came into the golden maned lion's head.

How could Scar tell so certainly that Nala was dead? What if he had…

"Monster!" roared the lion, pouncing on the king. "You killed my daughter! I will…"

He landed on Scar, pinning him to the ground, and began pressing his neck with both of his front paws and full-extended claws. A lioness would most likely be dead in such an attack. Scar's mane shielded the blow a little bit, but if Moyo wasn't taken off him in seconds, probably the king would end up dead. Fortunately, Mheetu and Sarafina were able to pull Moyo off Scar before the golden-maned lion did some unrepairable thing. The half-choked Scar got up, rubbing his throat, and asked: "Are you crazy? I didn't kill her! The drought did!"

"Nala can't be dead!" roared Nuru to the king. "Just because she hasn't returned, it doesn't mean she's dead!"

"What other explanation do you have?" asked Scar, eventhough he was sad with the fact. If Nala was truly dead, it meant that he had failed his subjects, at allowing one of them to take a risk.

"It's simple." said Mheetu, while a suspect came to his mind. "She may have known a lion during her journey, and they ran away together to marry and start a pride all their own!"

"Or then, she doesn't want to return here." said Nuru again. "What doesn't surprise me, considering the state in which this place is."

But all the lions there knew that it wasn't in Nala's personality to do any of those things. If she actually found a handsome male to marry, she would surely warn her family before going to start a pride with him. And as for not wanting to return, it wasn't also in Nala's personality to leave her family dying from hunger and thirst while she was in a paradise.

There was also another logical explanation. Maybe she hadn't yet found any place good enough for them to survive the drought. But, if even after two weeks she hadn't found any place good enough for them to survive, surely the place would be too far for most members of the pride to get there safely.

Even so, staying there wouldn't surely be a good chance to survive. So, Sarabi insisted: "Scar, I insist. If we don't leave the Pride Lands, we'll all die here from the drought!"

"And if we leave them, we may die in the same way." said Scar. "Besides, I won't leave the Pride Lands. I promised to stay here forever…"

He lowered his voice, in a way that only Sarabi could hear him, and added: "And you know far too well to who I promised to stay here!"

"Promises are made to be broken." replied Sarabi with painful voice.

Now, one of the things that she regretted the most was not having accepted Scar's proposal, all those years ago, for them to leave and starting a pride of their own. Or maybe she just regretted to have fought Zira so viciously. If not for that, probably there wouldn't have been any problems, and she could have been happy with Scar… or not. After all, Scar and Zira loved each other… and she also loved Mufasa. And loved Simba even more, when he lived.

"Not mine." replied Scar, also with painful voice. And then, he added, expressing almost regret: "I'm sorry."

The five lions looked to the other's faces for some time. Finally, Mheetu asked: "Is it your last word?"

"Yes." replied Scar.

"So, I'm right saying thay you won't change your mind?" insisted Mheetu.

"Yes." said Scar again.

"In the mean time, could you take me out of here?" asked Zazu, who was still in his cage.

Scar turned to him, and said: "I will take you out of there when you learn to not to complain so much."

The other lions just turned backwards, and began walking to the exit of the chamber. Scar just plopped down on his rock in hopelesness.

"Why?" asked Scar to himself. "Why? I've been doing my best to protect them of this drought, and so far, nobody died… except maybe Nala. I bet they wouldn't complain half with Mufasa rulling!"

However, Scar's thoughts were interrupted, when he heard a voice asking to him: "Huh… may we speak with you?"

The scarred lion raised his head in surprise. Who had spoken with him? It surely wasn't Sarabi, now she wasn't half of this polite with him. He looked up, and saw Sparthi and Kira standing in the entrance of his chamber.

"May we come in?" insisted Kira.

"Uh… alright." replied Scar. "I assume it won't hurt."

The lion and the lioness advanced to him. In the beginning, they tried to sit down, but then they remembered it wasn't proper to do it without the king's permission. Scar noticed what they were preparing to do, and nodded.

"Well then…" asked Scar. "What do you want to tell me?"

"We…" began Kira. "… were passing by your chamber…"

"and…" continued Sparthi. "… we just couldn't help but to hear some pieces of your short argument with Sarabi…"

"Yes, I understand." said Scar, with slightly harsh voice. If the talking was going to Sarabi, it was almost sure that it wouldn't be exactly nice. "And so what?"

"So…" said Sparthi. "We think that she in fact, has some right."

"WHAT?" said Scar, almost blowing up with anger.

He looked so scary on that moment that even Sparthi – a lion much bigger and heavier than Scar, and surely able to beat him in a physical fight – stepped back with scare. Kira stepped back more than him, but she was the first to speak.

"Let us explain." said Zira's sister. "We are not being ungrateful to you or to your efforts… in fact, we are more grateful than we could express by words, for you saving our pride."

"Those Pridelanders are ungrateful." said Sparthi. "Living in luxury makes bad to them. If they had to fight as hard as us on the desert for their whole lives, they wouldn't complain this much."

Scar sighed deeply many times, trying to calm down. Only after some time, he said: "If you say all of that, and you are as grateful as you say, why do you also insist that we must leave Pride Rock?"

"We didn't say that." replied Kira. "We meant: the Pride Lands are stable, and fertile enough to feed us all… for time being. As much as it may be hard to admit, if the drought continues, the Pride Lands won't last more than six months, maybe a year, but that is in the best of chances."

"But I don't think the drought will keep for that long." insisted Scar. "You've seen the clouds that appear on the sky almost everyday!"

"There have appeared clouds like that on the sky more or less at the same time of the year around a year ago, and it hasn't rained. And you know that." said Sparthi, with strange voice.

For some moments, Scar didn't reply at his brother in law. This was actually one of the biggest problems that he was facing. The clouds were appearing, but they stubbornly refused to deliver water. Some measures would have to be taken. It wasn't too hard. In fact, Scar already had an emergency plan for that, prepared almost ever since the arrival of the Golden Pride, that he was ready to use. He didn't expect it to be necessary, but if it was, he was ready to use it.

"I have an idea." said Scar to his brother in law and sister in law. "There's only one small problem. I need your pride's help to carry it."

"Scar…" said Kira mockingly, waving her paw in front of the black maned lion's face. "… where have you been? In case you don't remember, you are the king of our pride as well…"

"No." said Scar. "I'm not your king. I'm simply your sister's mate."

"It's almost the same!" said Sparthi. "But, going to the main business, what is exactly your idea? Because I'm not getting it."

"It's very simple." said Scar. "I just need your pride to do some scouting on small teams. The idea is that, if one of you finds a sanctuary close enough to this place, you come back, and then we will be able to move both prides and the clan there."

"Well, it's a good idea." said Kira.

"Fortunately you had that one." added Sparthi.

"Maybe." said Scar. "Now, you two go to sleep. Tomorrow, I will tell this to both prides. Your job will be finding a new sanctuary, while Pridelanders and hyenas will just hunt remaining preys. Tomorrow, I will tell Zira and Shakisa about that idea… eventhough they can't participate, of course, they have cubs to look after."

Sparthi and Kira nodded, and left for their sleeping places. Meanwhile, Scar was thinking what to do.

"Let's see…" thought the king. "For east, it is only desert… maybe there's something beyond it, but it is risky to try that direction first. Maybe I should try west first. We don't actually know what there is west, but it seems greener that desert. All Golden Ones must go on small teams on that direction… but there is one problem. With Golden Ones absent, it will have to be the Pridelanders delivering the food to Zira and Shakisa… and I don't trust them for that. Well, it seems that the only solution is if myself take them the food. Why is it so hard to rule over them?"

And it was like that, thinking about his emergency plan and about all the problems of kingship that he faced with his subjects, that the scarred king finally allowed himself to fall asleep.

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What Scar didn't know was that, during his whole talking with Zira's siblings, the wall of Pride Rock had ears, and a lioness heard everything. It was Tama the one who heard the talking between the two lions and the lioness. She hadn't exactly gone there to eavesdrop the talking, but, because she was passing close to that place, she happened to hear some of it. And, after hearing it better, she didn't waste any time in going to report it to Sarabi.

"Lady Sarabi." said Tama to the former queen. "Lady Sarabi, wake up, please."

The lioness opened her eyes, got up, and asked, with sleepy voice: "What do you want, Tama, my dear?"

"Well, lady Sarabi, I was just passing through Scar's chamber, to get to my sleeping place, and I happened to hear some useful facts about Golden Pride." said Tama.

"Useful facts?" asked Sarabi, with a voice where the first hints of interesting were beginning to show up. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well… I heard king Scar telling lord Sparthi about his emergency plan, or something. I couldn't pick up most of the details." said Tama.

Sarabi seemed to be getting slightly angrier, but then, the lioness added: "However, I heard that king Scar plans to send all the Golden Pride on scouting tomorrow. Which means that, if I am not wrong, Golden Pride won't be around here for a week, maybe even more."

"Thanks for your help, Tama." said Sarabi. "Now go to sleep, my child, you seeme exhausted."

Tama bowed to the former queen, and went to her sleeping place. Meanwhile, Sarabi thought heavily.

"This couldn't be more perfect!" thought Sarabi. "A week is more than enough for we to kill all those hyenas and depose Scar. When those Golden Ones return, they can go to their home, because I won't allow them to stay here! Well, we will wait two or three more days to see if Nala will eventually return from her scouting mission… oh, Nala, where are you?... but, if she doesn't return, we'll have to move on by ourselves. When this is all solved, someone will be able to go into the desert, and look for Nala. I can't believe that Scar is being idiot to the point of making the task of deposing him easier than it is. I always thought he was smart, but I guess I was wrong. Oh, well, I should stop dreaming. There's still three days ahead of us. 'Till there, many things can happen."

Feeling her triumph coming closer and closer, Sarabi finally fell asleep, with a wide smile on her lips, as she dreamed about the end of the drought, and everything turning right again.

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_Well... what did you think? Things are getting rather complicated, I would say. I don't know if you think the same. But please, review! I still need opinions!_


	62. Chapter 61: Showing the way

_Well... here it is the last chapter. Once again, most of it is novelisation from the two films... but I expect it is well written novelisation. The final scene, however, is not novelisation. Now that is over, let's begin._

_Edit: Thanks to Elven Warrior Princess, for making me notice that I had downloaded the same chapter twice. This is the actual chapter 61. Sorry. Please review it anyway._

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**Chapter 61 – Showing the way**

After spending some romantic time in each other's company, Simba and Nala were wandering through Hakuna Matata. Simba was showing his girlfriend – and on the moment quite potential mate – the whole area, hoping that he would convince her to stay with him on the jungle, living their own life. He knew that Nala was awed by the sight of the place, so, after letting her to appreciate the waterfalls and the deep green jungle, Simba returned to the talking.

"Isn't this a great place?" asked the young lion, while they walked over a log.

"It is beautiful." said Nala.

She was awed by that paradise – it was undoubtable. In fact, she was so awed, that, during her romantic moment with Simba, she planned in staying in that jungle with him forever. They would have cubs, live together… it would be perfect. No, it wouldn't be. When Nala finally regained her common sense, pictures of her starving pride came to her mind. She had to save them. And that meant to take back Simba. With Mufasa's heir alive, Scar would be forced to step down. It was in the law. But, if he didn't accept, there would be a fight, that Simba would win. Or maybe not… Bovu was bigger and more experienced that Simba, and lost…

"Stop thinking about Bovu!" shouted some voice in Nala's mind. "Just convince Simba to get back to the Pride Lands!"

To do that, the first important step would be to ask why he had never returned in more than four years. She said: "But I don't understand something. You've been alive _all_ this time. Why didn't you come back to Pride Rock?"

For some moments, Simba hesitated. He placed his paws on some kind of hammock, made of vines, and, after climbing to it, he said, almost as if he was trying to convince himself and Nala at the same time: "Well, I just needed to… get out of my own. Live my own life. And I did. And it's great!"

"We've really needed you at home." said Nala with catching voice.

"No one needs me." said Simba with a sad stare and a quiet tone.

"Yes, we do!" insisted Nala more forcefully. "You're the king!"

"Nala, we've been through this!" shouted Simba, getting slightly angrier with the talking. "I'm not the king. Scar is."

On that moment, Nala knew that she would have to use some more persuading means in order to convince Simba to get back. So, she did it. She placed her paws on the vines, and said: "Simba, he let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands!"

"What?" asked Simba, surprised.

That was surely something he had never expected. Hyenas living in the Pride Lands… but it seemed it wasn't the end, because Nala added with desperate voice: "Everything's destroyed. There's no food. No water. Simba, if you don't do something, everyone will starve!"

Simba was fighting his feelings. The thought of his former pride dying from hunger in a destroyed land was surely terrible to him, but he couldn't go back. Nobody would accept him after what he had done. And mainly, it had been because of him that everything began! It had been because he had killed Mufasa that Scar began rulling… he couldn't return. It would only endanger his land even more.

So, he said Nala the simple truth: "I can't go back."

"Why?" asked Nala, curious.

"You wouldn't understand." said Simba, jumping off the hammock.

Nala was getting confused. Her best friend was telling her that she wouldn't understand? What had exactly taken him to go away of the Pride Lands? Could it be the reason why he didn't want to return?

"What wouldn't I understand?" asked Nala, trying to figure that out.

"It doesn't matter." said Simba hastily. "Hakuna Matata."

"What?" asked Nala.

She didn't know those words, and she wasn't seeing what they had to do with that scene. Simba tried to make that clear, turning back to her, and saying: "Hakuna Matata. It's something I learned out here. Look, some bad things happen…"

"Simba!" said Nala, angrily, trying to call him to reason.

But he didn't stop, and kept walking away from Nala, saying, getting irritated: "… and there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"

"Because it's your responsibility." said Nala, trotting back to him.

Simba looked at her angrily. Who was she to talk about responsibility, when she had also done the same? He voiced that out: "Well, what about you? You left!"

"I left to find help, and I found you." said Nala. Then, her voice became begging, as she added: "Don't you understand? You're our only hope!"

"I'm sorry." said Simba, after a tense moment of silence.

He was indeed. If the fact that returning to the Pride Lands wouldn't mean to be driven out again, he would go and help them. But there… he would be driven out by Scar. He had killed his father.

Nala was also disappointed. She was sure that the Simba from her cubhood, if he heard the slightest sound about his pride being in danger, he would do the possible and the impossible to help them. But now…

"What happened to you?" asked Nala, with disbelieful voice. "You're not the Simba I remember."

"You're right. I'm not!" said Simba, even angrier. "Now are you satisfied?"

"Nope!" said Nala, slightly angry. "Just disappointed."

"You know, you're beginning to sound like my dad." said Simba, before going away.

"Good." said Nala, even angrier. "At least one of us does."

Simba was cut by the comment about his father. After all those years… about what he had passed, all because of his father's death, caused by himself, Nala was coming to him like that?

He shot back into Nala and said, with his anger at it's limit: "Listen, you think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!"

"I would if you just tell me!" said Nala, with some worry in her voice.

It pained her that her friend had been in danger for all those years, all alone, without anyone to help him. She had to try to understand it. But Simba wasn't cooperating. He shouted: "Forget it!"

"Fine!" shouted Nala back.

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Well, there was someone who indeed thought it was fine. After trying to cheer up from their desperate attempts to break up Simba and Nala, Timon and Pumbaa were just walking close by, trying to accept the fact that they had failed, and understood that Simba wouldn't come back to them.

"Ah, that's it, buddy." said Timon sadly. "We gave it our best shot, but he's a goner."

Just as Pumbaa was about to agree, he heard some sounds in the distance, and said: "Maybe not…"

"You never give up, do you?" asked Timon, somehow hopefully, but also having an idea that it will be useless.

"Look!" said the warthog.

Timon and Pumbaa both looked, right on time to see the end of the argument between Nala and Simba. The young lion just ran to the distance, until he disappeared. For some seconds, the duo didn't react, but eventually, the meerkat asked excitedly: "Pumbaa, do you know what this means?"

"Uh, he can't express his feelings, and she has commitment issues?" said the warthog, probably more to avoid a direct "no".

"We won!" said Timon happily. Ya ha hahh! We split 'em up!"

"And, uh, that's a good thing?" asked Pumbaa, beginning to get confused.

If they were split apart, wouldn't Simba be sad? But it seemed that it wasn't Timon's opinion. However, Pumbaa looked into the grasslands, and said, as Simba ran away further and further: "Uh… he seems to be takiing it kinda hard."

"Yes, I know." said Timon, a little bit worried, but not too much. "Look, I… heh. But it's the best thing for us. I mean, for him! And now, Pumbaa, let's get back to our sleeping place. Simba will meet us there."

The meerkat climbed on the warthog's back, and they began walking to their bed made of leaves.

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Meanwhile, Simba had finally stopped running, but now he was pacing in a field, and trying to fight his feelings.

"She's wrong." said Simba to an unseen auditor, probably again trying to convince himself. "I can't go back. What would it prove, anyway? It won't change anything. Ýou can't change the past."

That was one of the things that haunted him the most. Not being able to change the past. Particularly one event from it, the one that had brought all these problems. Simba raised his head to the stars, and shouted: "You said you'd always be there for me!"

He added in a silent whisper. "But you're not…"

And then, like it always happened, it came the truth. The one who had actually caused all the problems.

"And it's because of me." said Simba, almost bursting in tears. "It's my fault. It's my fault…"

He lowered his head, sobbing, and it wouldn't take much time before he began crying. But then, something distracted Simba from his sadness. An annoying sound could be heard. Simba looked around, and saw a mandrill, on a far tree, making an annoying chant: "_Asante sana!/_ _Squash banana!/We we nugu!/Mi ni apana!_"

From the distance, the mandrill was seeming like Rafiki, at least to Simba's eyes. But, if it was indeed Rafiki, Simba didn't want the shaman to recognize him. If he hadn't yet, it would be better. He had already took with Nala, he didn't want the same to happen to Rafiki. So, he just began going away.

Rafiki stopped his chant, and looked at Simba, chuckling. Finally, he had found Simba. Now, he just needed some way to convince him to get back.

Simba eventually arrived to a log that was over a puddle, and lied down on it, looking at his reflection, and thinking on how to solve his problems. But then, a stone was thrown into the water… and the annoying chant sounded again.

"Will you cut if off?" asked Simba to the mandrill that was doing random acrobatics in a tree.

"Can't cut if off, it'll grow right back!" said Rafiki, jumping from the tree, and following Simba, who was going away.

"Creepy little monkey." said Simba, as the strange primate followed him. Simba was getting almost angry.

Now, the mandrill seemed even more like Rafiki, but Simba didn't want to show that he had recognized him. The young lion shouted: "Will you stop following me? Who are you?"

"The question is: whoooo are you?" asked Rafiki, right into Simba's face.

The lion got startled by the question. That was exactly the crucial point. He didn't exactly know who he was, at least since "that" day. So, he could for once answer honestly.

"I thought I knew." said Simba, sighing. "Now, I'm not so sure."

"Well, I know who you are." said Rafiki. "Shh. Come here, it's a secret."

Simba closed his ear to Rafiki's mouth, and he made his annoying chant again.

"Enough already!" said Simba, beginning to get actually annoyed. "What's that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"It means you're a baboon, and I'm not!" said Rafiki, before bursting in laughter.

"It's almost certainly Rafiki." thought Simba. "Only he is as crazy. But let him alone."

"I think you're a little bit confused." said the lion, walking away.

But, much to his surprise, Rafiki appeared magically in front of him, and said: "No, I'm not the one who's confused; you don't even know who you are!"

"Oh, and I suppose you know?" asked Simba, feeling irritated, but using some sarcasm.

"Sure do." said Rafiki. "You're Mufasa's boy."

Simba looked at Rafiki, actually amazed. Now, he was even surer that he was Rafiki. But the mandrill wouldn't stay around for long, it seemed.

"Bye!" said Rafiki, again disappearing.

"Hey, wait!" shouted Simba, running after the mandrill.

What was a surprise was the mandrill gained a surprising advance just with a few seconds. And, when Simba caught up with him, panting, Rafiki was in a meditative lotus position, sitting on a rock, not feeling tired, it seemed.

"You knew my father?" asked Simba.

"Correction." said Rafiki with monotone voice. "I know your father."

"I hate to tell you this…" said Simba, surprised by a friend of his father not knowing the truth. If the mandrill was Rafiki, he should know, but if he wasn't, Simba should tell him. "…but he died, a long time ago."

"Nope! Wrong again!" said Rafiki, jumping from the rock to a group of thick trees. "He's alive! And I'll show him to you. You follow old Rafiki, he knows the way. Come on!"

"So he is Rafiki!" thought Simba, as the mandrill entered the thick trees. "I should have actually known."

Simba walked to the trees, hesitated a little bit, and looked behind. Only then, he dared to enter the thick group of trees. But, unfortunately, his huge size didn't allow him to move there as quickly as the mandrill, who seemed to be getting impatient, because he said: "Don't dawdle, hurry up!"

"Hey, whoa. Wait, wait!" said Simba, struggling to catch up with the mandrill.

"Come on, come on!" said Rafiki.

Then, he began swinging through vines, making his chant again, while laughing.

"Would you slow down?" asked Simba, worried, before slowing down himself, by falling.

But he got up, and kept running – until he got stuck in some vines. But he managed to get free, and kept following the mandrill. After some time of running – Simba couldn't tell exactly how much – Rafiki appeared with his hand held right into Simba's face.

"STOP!" said the mandrill, and the lion stopped just before he collided with the shaman's hand.

"Shhh." said Rafiki with his finger in front of his mouth.

Then, he went to some reeds, parted them, and pointed past them with his stick.

"Look down there." said the wiseape.

Initially confused, Simba finally came closer, and quietly worked his way out. He looked past the ledge, and saw a pool, with his own reflection. At first, Simba got a little bit startled, maybe by his own mature appearance, but then he said, after a disappointed sigh: "That's not my father. That's just my reflection."

"No." said Rafiki. "Look harder."

The mandrill touched the surface of the water with his finger, forming ripples that distorted Simba's reflection. As the lion looked, the sky began getting darker.

"You see…" said Rafiki.

Then, the ripples finally stopped, and Mufasa's reflection appeared instead of Simba's.

"…he lives in you." completed the shaman.

Then, a quiet voice said: "Simba…"

The young lion looked above, as some wind picked up. He saw some clouds that were forming on the horizon.

"Father?" asked the young lion with disbelieful, but somewhat hopeful, voice.

He began walking in the direction of the clouds, as Mufasa's from walked from them. At first, it was ghostly, almost a shade, but then it began taking some real form. When the shape was more defined, Mufasa said: "Simba, you have forgotten me."

"No." said Simba with surprised voice, as the wind was stronger. "How could I?"

"You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me." said Mufasa. Now, it seemed that Mufasa was still made of cloudish substance, as he was in the middle of the dark sky, and some clouds were spinning around him. "Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life."

"How can I go back?" asked Simba desperately. Now, it seemed that Mufasa's ghost was beginning to shine, but the young lion was getting more and more afraid. "I'm not who I used to be."

"Remember who you are." said Mufasa. Now, it seemed that he was in the middle of a circle of clouds that spinned around him. He also had his real colours now, and his mane seemed to be emblown by the wind. Only his eyes seemed different, almost as two balls of light. "You are my son, and the one true king."

Simba was getting more and more confused. He wanted so much to voice out: "Sorry, dad." but something was stopping him. And now, Mufasa was backing, and also becoming more ghostly. He still said, but with lower voice: "Remember who you are"

"No!" shouted Simba, running into the clouds – because now Mufasa's ghost had disappeared completely. "Please, don't leave me!"

"At least until I have apologized!" thought Simba. He added aloud: "Dad…"

"Remember…" said Mufasa's voice.

"Father!" shouted Simba.

"Remember…" repeated Mufasa's fading voice.

"Don't leave me…" whispered Simba.

"I just want to apologize…" thought the lion.

"Remember…" said Mufasa's voice one final time, as the sky returned to it's normal colour.

Then, Rafiki came closer, and asked: "What was that?"

He laughed, and then kept: "The weather – pbbbah! Very peculiar. Don't you think?"

"Yeah." said Simba thoughtfully. "Looks like winds are changing."

"Aaaah…" nodded Rafiki. "Change is good."

"Yes, but it's not easy." said Simba, preparing to voice out his real problem. "I know what I gotta do. But going back means I'll have to face the past. I've been running from it for so long."

Rather than replying, Rafiki just whacked Simba's head with his stick.

"Oww!" said the lion. "Jeez, what was that for?"

"It doesn't matter; it's in the past!" said Rafiki, before laughing.

"Yeah, but it still hurts." said Simba, rubbing his head with his paw, and then checking his pawpad to see if it hasn't blood.

"Oh, yes, the past can hurt." admitted Rafiki. "So you can either run from it, or… learn from it."

He swang his stick at Simba again, but this time the young lion ducked.

"Hah, you see!" said Rafiki. "So what are you gonna do?"

"First…" said Simba sinisterly. "I'm gonna take your stick!"

Simba grabbed the stick in his mouth and tossed it aside. Rafiki ran to it and said: "No, no, no, no! Not the stick!"

When Rafiki finally picked it up, he turned to Simba, who was running off.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked the monkey.

"I'm going back!" shouted Simba.

"Good, go on, get out of here!" said Rafiki, before laughing and hollering to the sky, holding his staff above his head. Some shooting stars zinged across the sky

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But Simba didn't keep running for long. After running for a rather big distance, he stopped. He was questioning himself again. How could he be sure that he was doing the right thing? Well, he had to be, if his father told him… or not? But there was one most important problem… he hadn't apologized his father… how to be sure that he had been forgiven?

"Oh…" said Simba, as he sat down. "I should have apologized… Dad… how can I know if you forgave me?"

The answer came when some wind began blowing. And then, Simba began hearing a voice whispering close to him: "Simba…"

"What is going on now?" asked Simba, confused.

Was he about to talk with a spirit again? But… who could be this time? This voice didn't look like his father... not at all…

This was getting stranger as time passed. He wasn't seeing anyone there – just a voice – as if it emerged from the grass, close to him. In fact, the voice was so faint that it didn't even seem real. But then, the voice whispered again: "Simba…"

Now, Simba was sure that the voice was real. And the wind, blowing around him, had a scent well-known to him. But it wasn't his father's, or of any lion that he knew. It was…

"Mkalimu?" asked Simba, confused.

"Hello, Simba." said Mkalimu's voice.

"Uh…" said Simba, confused. "What are you… doing here?"

"Coming to help you." said the leopardess's voice. "After all, I promised I would help you in all my possible ways – that's what I'm here for. So... speak with me, Simba. What's troubling you?"

For a moment, the young lion didn't speak. He seemed afraid of doing it. But… after a while, he managed to say: "I'm… I'm scared…"

"Scared?" asked Mkalimu's voice, confused. "Why are you scared? You've talked with your father… why are you scared?"

Once again, Simba didn't answer for some time. He had to think very well on an answer. But when the silence became unbearable, he said: "It's not exactly scared… I mean… I'm scared of assuming my responsibility…"

"That's perfectly natural." said Mkalimu. "But you want to assume it still?"

"Yes." said Simba, this time surprisingly decisively.

"Then what's your problem?" asked the voice. "I don't understand."

"Uh… it's… has my father forgiven me?" asked Simba.

Then, he remembered a crucial detail: he had never told the whole story to Mkalimu. But, if he hadn't done it while she was alive, he could do it when she was dead. But, surprisingly, the leopardess didn't seem to need it, as she said: "Simba… why would your father speak with you if he hadn't forgiven you? Did it seem, by the way how he talked to you, that he was angry?"

"No…" said Simba. "But he never told it…"

"Simba, if your father wasn't angry at you, he has forgiven you." said Mkalimu. "It was an accident. Simba… just listen… if you decide that the right thing to do is to assume your responsibilty, do it. And just one last thing… I love you… and I will live in you… always…"

Simba looked around one last time, as the wind faded. For a moment, it seemed to Simba that he felt Mkalimu hugging him, as she had done many times when he was alive. But then, the wind disappeared completely, and the only wind that blew after that was normal. Everything on the environment had turned out as before. But now, there was an important difference.

"That's what I'll do." thought Simba. "I'll make you proud, dad. And also you, Mkalimu."

This time, he began running to the Pride Lands much more decisevely.

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_Alright. This is the actual chapter 61. Sorry. What did you think of it? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	63. Chapter 62: Together to the end

_Hello. Well, after the last chapter, here it is a new one. Well, I had a distraction, and I double posted chapter 60 on the last chapter, instead of posting chapter 61. Thanks to the user Elven Warrior Princess, now that mistake is corrected, and the second post of chapter 60 became chapter 61. Sorry for my mistake, alright? Well... now you may read chapter 61 as the last chapter, and read chapter 62 here. Well... like chapter 61, most of it, or even all of it, is novelisation of TLK and TLK1,5. But I hope it is well written. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 62 – Together to the end**

Completely ignoring that their best friend and adopted son had just gone back to his old home to fight for it, Timon and Pumbaa were sleeping peacefully. As usual, Timon was curled on Pumbaa's belly, and the warthog was lying on his back, on their bed of leafs. Both of them snored – Pumbaa much louder than Timon – and had wonderful dreams. At least, Pumbaa seemed to be having wonderful dreams, because, from time to time, he mumbled in his sleep: "Grubs, grubs!"

But, unfortunately for them, it seemed that they wouldn't sleep for much longer, as Nala was approaching them. Now, she was sorry of having been so hard to Simba, and wanted to apologize him. But there was one crucial problem – she couldn't find him. That was why she decided to go to Timon and Pumbaa – there could be one slight chance of them knowing where the lion was.

So, the lioness approached the meerkat, wanting to wake him up as first.

"Hey. Hey, wake up." said Nala, tapping Timon gently with her paw.

Well, it worked, at least partially, because the meerkat woke up. But, when he woke up, and saw in his view the huge face of a lion that wasn't Simba, he hid behind Pumbaa's head, screaming with all his might. Timon's screams woke up the warthog, that didn't waste any time in following his friend's vocal example.

"It's OK." said Nala with calming voice, in an attempt to silence the duo. "Whoa, _whoa._ It's OK. It's ME."

The two friends got a little bit calmed down after recognizing Nala. At least, they stopped screaming. But, when Timon came out from behind Pumbaa's head, and jumped on the warthog's belly, he was still quivering a little bit.

"Don't ever do that again!" said the meerkat with a little bit scared voice. "Carnivores, _oy!_"

Now that the two friends were calmer, Nala could finally voice out the question that troubled her. She asked, with hopeful voice: "Have you guys seen Simba?"

"I thought he was with you?" said the meerkat, holding a hand to his head.

He and Pumbaa could be calmed down now, but they also were confused. After their best friend had left them to be with Nala, had he left her as well? What had happened? Had he decided to leave everyone? But Nala tried to make that clear, as she answered with a little bit sad voice: "He was, but now I can't find him. Where is he?"

An answer to her question came almost after she replied to the meerkat's question, but that answer was neither from Timon nor Pumbaa. In fact, it wasn't even a concrete answer. It was just laughter. But that laughter was well-known both to her, Timon, and Pumbaa. The trio looked up, to a tree, and they saw Rafiki, laughing. All of them were confused by the mandrill's presence, especially Nala. What was Rafiki doing there? How had he found them?

But then, the answer to the question that she had asked to Timon and Pumbaa came, as Rafiki said: "Ho, ho, ho, ho. You won't find him _here._ Ha ha. The king... has returned."

"I can't believe it." said Nala quietly.

But, right after she said that, she understood the meaning of Rafiki's words. Simba had indeed returned. But not to that place. He had returned to the Pride Lands! He would finally return to his home, face Scar, and become king! And Rafiki had come to warn them. It was still a mistery how he had come so fast, but… there would be time to answer to that later.

"He's gone _back._" said Nala with amazed, but at the same time satisfied, voice.

"Gone back?" asked Timon, jumping from Pumbaa's belly to the ground. "What do you mean?"

If Simba had gone back, shouldn't he be with them there? He had gone back to where? In an attempt to clarify that, the trio once again looked to the branch where Rafiki had been, but he was gone! He had gone silently and quickly, almost as if he had evaporated.

"Is he some kind of wizard?" thought Timon, amazed. "And how does he know Simba?"

Trying to figure that out, he asked to Nala, with confused and almost shocked voice: "Hey! What's goin' on here? Who's the _monkey?_"

Rather than answering that question, Nala just said excitedly: "Simba's gone to challenge Scar."

"Who?" asked Timon, completely lost in the middle of the problem.

Their best friend had just disappeared, Nala was looking for him, the strange monkey had come with a conversation completely fitting to his crazyness that explained from little to nothing, and now Nala was speaking about some Scar?

"Scar." insisted Nala, with narrowed eyes.

"Who's got a scar?" asked Pumbaa, who had just got up from his bed, but wasn't catching up more problems from the question than Timon.

"No, no, no. It's his uncle." said Nala, shaking her head.

"The monkey's his _uncle?_" asked Timon, with amazed and shocked – maybe even disgusted – voice.

What kind of family was Simba's? Had the monkey been taken in by Simba's grandparents? Or was he just messed up?

"And I thought that no family could be more messed up than mine!" thought the meerkat.

But soon everything was made clear, as Nala insisted: "No! Simba's gone back to challenge his uncle to take his place as king."

"Ohhh." said Timon and Pumbaa, finally picking up the main problem.

But there was still one thing that they weren't picking up. If Simba was the king, why had he ran away? And, above all, why had he decided to return?

"Hold on a second." said Timon to Nala. "Simba is the rightful king? If that's so, why his uncle took his place as king? There's something that we're not picking up in the middle of this story."

"I was kind of thinking the same." said Pumbaa.

Nala sighed. It was true. Timon and Pumbaa didn't know the whole story. So, Nala decided to explain it to them. She talked a little bit about her cubhood with Simba. How Mufasa died in the stampede, and she thought that Simba died as well. How Scar had become king after Miufasa's death. How he had let the hyenas get in their land. How he had allowed their land to get destroyed. And how it was necessary for Simba to solve the problem.

"And so he's gone." concluded Nala, looking on the two friends.

"He's gone?" asked Timon, with somewhat desperate voice. "What do you mean, he's gone?"

"It's just like the baboon said." explained Nala, looking on the two friends. "The king has returned."

But it seemed that Timon and Pumbaa were simple minded, because they weren't picking up the question yet. Nala concluded that there was the possibility of her having to explain again. She sighed, and asked: "Ohh. You want me to go over it _again?!_"

"Yes, please." said Timon with patronizing voice. "But be a dear and just skip to the part about Simba? Not that your childhood wasn't _fascinating_."

Resigned, Nala decided that she would indeed have to tell it again. She said: "Okay, look: Simba's the rightful King. But after he disappeared, Scar proclaimed himself the King and formed an alliance with the hyenas..."

Timon and Pumbaa just stood there, listening to the lioness's words, trying to find some sense on them, but not with much success.

"...Simba has to go home to challenge his uncle and reclaim his rightful place as King." concluded Nala, hoping that this explanation had finally made some sense to them.

But probably, it hadn't done, because Timon and Pumbaa just stood there, still with a confused look, so silently that even the chirping of the crickets could be heard.

"Ooooh, don't you get it?" asked Nala with frustrated voice. "Simba _needs_ us! _Now!_"

With those words, she turned backwards and began running after Simba, without looking behind. It was finally making some sense to Timon and Pumbaa, but they weren't following Nala. Particularly Timon was feeling rather indignant with Simba having left without telling them goodbye. And now he needed them…

"He needs us? Then he shouldn't have left us!" said Timon angrily. He turned to his bed, and said: "If he wants to run off to be "His Highness", well, I say, don't let the branches hit you on the way out! Leave Hakuna Matata to someone who appreciates it."

"But, Timon... it's not really Hakuna Matata without Simba." said Pumbaa sadly.

Timon admitted inside that Pumbaa was right, but he didn't want to go away of a place that took him so much time and effort to get. He said to Pumbaa: "What's gotten into you? Not Hakuna Matata? That's crazy talk. Crazy talk, I tell ya! Nothing's changed here. We had Hakuna Matata before Simba, and we've still got it now."

"We gotta go help our friend, Timon." said the warthog with begging voice.

"_Et tu, Pumbaa_?" asked Timon, seemingly still angry. "You're just gonna walk away, give up on all this? What happened to "friends stick together to the end"? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." said Pumbaa incisively.

He was feeling rather angry and disappointed at the meerkat. This wasn't surely the same Timon. The Timon that he knew wasn't so self-centered, and wouldn't leave his friends behind. Just as Pumbaa wouldn't leave his friends behind. In this case, Simba. If Simba needed his help, Pumbaa would give his best to help him.

He turned and stalked off, but not before looking over his shoulder at Timon one last time. It was right on time to see the meerkat flopping on the bead and saying stubbornly: "I got everything I ever wanted right here."

Pumbaa didn't look backwards again. He just made a sad stare, and began trotting off after Nala and Simba, with a tear in his eye.

Meanwhile, Timon tapped his finger, and, in an attempt to convince himself that he was doing the right thing, he shouted: "Now, this is more like it. Elbow room!"

But, as he shouted that "Elbow room!" echoed around the place a surprising number of times.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy." said Timon, collapsing in despair.

Now, he was alone, actually alone. And, for the first time, he actually asked himself one question. What was the point of staying there on Hakuna Matata, when his best friend and adopted son had gone away?

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Shortly after, Timon was lying down on the place where he had used to watch the stars with Pumbaa and Simba, feeling pathetical and deeply depressed. Now, it was actually absurd. In several attempts to cheer up, he had visited the various places where he and his friends had lots of fun before… but being there all alone just made him even more depressed, reminding the moments that he spent there with Pumbaa and Simba. Now, neither of them was there to cheer him up.

But, once again, something that would change that happened. Rafiki once again dangled into the place where Timon was, laughing.

"You. No, no, no." said Timon, holding out his hands. "Don't say a word. I know what you're gonna say."

He was honestly getting sick of that monkey. That was he decided to save him some sppech. Imitating the mandrill's voice, he said: "Did you find Hakuna Matata?"

After, as himself, with forced happiness and a gracious air, he said: "Well, yes, I did! Thank you very much! And I am happy... happy, happy, _deliriously_ happy."

Exchanging back to Rafiki, he kept: "Ho ho haaah! I see. Happy, is it? So, if you're so happy, why do you look so miserable?"

Rafiki was just staring sardonically, unable to say a word, as Timon exchanged back to himself: "Miserable, you say? Why should I be miserable? Oh, I don't know. Maybe my two best pals in the world deserted me. Heh. They've... they've headed off on some heroic mission. My friends..."

For some moments, Timon got silently, and then he added desperately: "…are gone."

And then, light was made. His friends were gone. His friends were mainly what formed Hakuna Matata. So, with his friends gone, there was no more Hakuna Matata. He said, finally understanding: "And my Hakuna Matata went with them."

Rafiki nodded slowly with a slight smile.

"Would you mind?" asked Timon, indicating his head.

Rafiki smacked him with his stick – lightly, for not to hurt him too seriously. The meerkat yelped in pain, and said: "Thanks! I'm glad we had this talk."

Timon clicked his tongue to Rafiki, and rushed off, hoping that it wouldn't be too late to catch up with his friends. The mandrill stared at the meerkat, and said: "My work here is done."

His work could be done with the meerkat, but his work on the Pride Lands wasn't. He would also have to take a part in the battle, and helping at driving the hyenas off.

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Several hours later, Pumbaa was running in the hot desert. He knew what was the way to the Pride Lands, so he just had to go through there. He felt a burning pain, but it was neither from sunstroke nor the heat on his paws. It was just a deep sadness for Timon having left them. However, it seemed that was about to be relieved, because he saw Timon running past him with a surprising speed for a meerkat.

He stopped suddenly, and Timon did the same. For some moments, the two friends just stared at each other, and the only sound was the wind blowing through the sand dunes. Finally, Timon said, with a big smile and open arms: "Friends stick together to the end."

Pumbaa gasped joyfully as he and Timon ran into each other and hugged. After a long moment of doing it, Pumbaa said: "Hop on, buddy. We got a fight to catch!"

Timon jumped quickly into Pumbaa's back, and grabbed his ears.

"Let's whip some grass." said Timon excitedly as Pumbaa reared up and pawed the air.

The warthog ran at full speed at the Pride Lands, as Timon said with extremely enthusiasmed and narrating voice: "This is the stuff of legends. An epic struggle—the place where heroes are born. Pumbaa... this could be our finest hour."

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Maybe that could be the finest hour for Timon and Pumbaa, but the Pride Lands weren't currently being the finest place to live. Or, at least, that was what Simba figured out, when he walked into the bone covered and desolated place. It had from little to nothing simmilar to his homeland, the place where he had lived.

Eventually, the young lion climbed to a cliff, and, reaching the lip of it, he looked better at the desolated land. If the first sight made him to tremble, a second examination just left him desperate. He had never seen a place so desolated like that. The Pride Lands seemed painted in grays, mostly lacking in life, with the exception of an occasional vulture.

Seeing how desolated the place was, some fury, mixed with determination, appeared on Simba's face. All the grass had completely dried up, every drop of water seemed to have been drained out of the ground, most of the rivers and lakes were simply holes in the ground, or mud, and there weere animal skeletons everywhere. He couldn't believe that such a fertile kingdom like the Pridelands were could be destroyed like that simply by the actions of a hyena-clan. It wasn't just a big clan, it had to be crazy.

"I will make Scar pay for having destroyed my father's kingdom like that." thought Simba.

But then, something caught his attention. A voice shouted: "Simba, wait up!"

He looked backwards, and saw Nala running to him. She trotted up next to him on the ledge, and said: "It's awful, isn't it?"

"I didn't want to believe you." said Simba, seemingly sorry for not having done it.

"What made you come back?" asked Nala, curious.

"I finally got some sense knocked into me." said Simba. "And I've got the bump to prove it."

He turned back to the landscape, and said: "Besides, this is _my_ kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I will." said Nala, walking to him.

"It's gonna be dangerous." said Simba, turning to Nala.

In fact, it would. Fighting a big hyena-clan wouldn't surely be an easy task. Nala knew it, but she didn't waste the chance to annoy Simba a little bit.

"Danger?" said Nala, quotating one sentence from her friend's cubhood. "_Ha!_ I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha."

"I see nothing funny about this." said Timon, as he advanced to Simba, followed by Pumbaa.

The surprised pair turned backwards. Nala smiled at seeing the two friends, but Simba, who was more surprised, asked: "Timon? Pumbaa? What are you doing here?"

"At your service, my liege." said Pumbaa, bowing on one foreleg.

But Timon, who was surprised at how the Pride Lands had become desolated since his last visit, asked: "Uh. We're going to fight your uncle... for _this?_"

"Not even the Outlands were as bad as this!" he added in mind.

"Yes, Timon; this is my home." said Simba decisevely.

"Ffh. Talk about your fixer-upper." said Timon. But then, he bowed and said: "Well, Simba, if it's important to you, we're with you to the end."

Simba smiled at him, and the quartet looked directly to Pride Rock, somehow viewing all the work ahead of them. Dark clouds were again gathering on the sky.

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The four friends sneaked up to the edge of Pride Rock, trying to figure out the best way of solving their problem. Looking over a log, they observed the hyenas. It seemed almost like a whole clan, but their main goal was to distract the ones closer to them. Most of the hyenas were asleeping, but some of them were waken up. One of them chewed on a bone, but others were looking at the landscape. Seemingly, not even one of them had noticed the quartet so far.

"Hyenas. I _hate_ hyenas." said Timon with disgusted voice, as he remembered what the hyenas had done to his family and colony.

But he had to forget that, and he whispered to Simba: "So what's your plan for gettin' past those guys?"

"Live bait." said Simba.

"Good idea." whispered Timon.

But then, he understood the crucial detail. On that place, there was only one possibility of such a plan. And Timon wasn't liking it. He said to Simba: "_Heeey._"

"Come on, Timon, you guys have to create a diversion." whispered Simba to Timon, almost angrily.

Timon was getting almost shocked at the statement. Create a diversion? That was easy. But how to know that after that, they escaped the hyenas? Well, that problem could be solved with Pumbaa's special power, but how to create a diversion?

"What do you want me to do?" asked Timon incredulously. "Dress in drag and do the hula?"

/"Hula" song. The sleeping hyenas get up and look at the camera as we hear drums. Camera changes to Timon's head, turned backwards. Timon turns his head to the camera, and we see that he has a flower on his hear, like if he was wearing a hula outfit. Camera zooms out, and we see that Timon is indeed wearing a hula outfit. Pumbaa is close by, set up like a roast pig, even with an apple in his mouth. Song begins./

Timon:

_If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat_

/Timon jumps to Pumbaa and keeps dancing. Pumbaa opens his eyes and smiles./

_Eat my buddy Pumbaa here because he is a treat_

/Timon jumps to the ground and keeps dancing, as Pumbaa plays dead again./

_Come on down and dine_

_On this tasty suine_

_All you have to do is get in line_

/Capture changes to the hyenas advancing towards the camera with famished stares, licking their lips. After, it changes back to Timon. The parenthetical parts are Pumbaa nodding. As one sings or speaks, the camera changes to that one./

Timon:

_Aaaare you achin'_ (Yup, yup, yup)

_Foooor some bacon? _(Yup, yup, yup)

/Camera changes back to the famished hyenas. We see that, while Pumbaa and Timon distract them, Simba and Nala are sneaking behind the hyenas./

_Heeee's a big pig _(Yup, yup)

/Camera changes to Timon, finishing his dance./

_You could be a big pig too. Oy!_

/Camera zooms out, and we see that the hyenas are almost on Timon and Pumbaa. The two yelp in fear, and run off, as the hungry hyenas follow them./

Simba and Nala ran close to Pride Rock. One part was done, but the main one wasn't still. The lion turned to his future mate, and said determinadely: "Nala, you find my mother and rally the pride. I'll look for Scar."

Nala took off, and Simba began sneaking to Pride Rock, detemined to find his uncle. But, soon after, Simba heard one shout that made him to stop and watch.

"_SARABI!_" shouted Scar's voice, being heard all around the place.

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_What did you think? Well... I'd sort of like to ask you a favour. Considering that I double posted chapter 60, and some of you reviewed chapter 60 on the two times, I ask you to review chapter 61 and chapter 62 here. But review chapter 62, at least, please! I still need opinions. And once again, many regrets for my mistake._


	64. Chapter 63: Big surprises

_Well... after the last chapter, here it comes a new one. Now that they have returned to the Pride Lands, things will get even more complicated... or at least, I think so. Once again, most of the chapters is novelisation... but I hope it is well written novelisation. Some sentences are slightly changed... sorry. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 63 – Big surprises**

Nala ran with her full speed to the place where her pride was gathered. She had a good idea about the place where they were, but she didn't hope to find them all gathered. However, much to her surprise, they were all there. All, except Sarabi, because she had been called by Scar, as Nala recalled to hear. Nala noticed that none of Tojo's birds was there, but she didn't think too much about it. They should be doing something that Tojo had ordered them.

"Well, it's good that the whole pride is here." thought Nala. "I save some time."

"Look!" said Chumvi. "There's someone running here! A lioness…"

They couldn't yet see who was running to them, but, when the lioness came closer, the pride could finally see who she was. But they couldn't believe their eyes. After almost two weeks, it was a surprise to find that lioness alive.

"NALA!" shouted Sarafina, Moyo, Nuru and Mheetu at the same time, running to Nala.

After such a long absence, it was like if they burst in joy. Not that two weeks would normally be a long time… but in a Great Drough were nobody could outlive the next day, two weeks were almost like a year. Nala was also happy at seeing them again, in spite the fact of almost being crushed when two lions and two lionesses pounced on her an hugged her at the same time. For a moment, she was hugged and licked several times, and she retributed initially, but eventually, when she thought that it had been lasting for too much time, she said: "No, stop. I have something important to tell you."

"What is it, my dear?" asked Moyo, as he, Sarafina, Mheetu, and Nuru released Nala.

"I found a lion that will have the ability to save us all from Scar." said Nala.

None of the members seemed particularly enthusiasmed. After all, Bovu was also supposed to have the ability of saving them all from Scar, and was killed. But, to be polite, Sarafina asked: "Who is he, my dear?"

"Simba!" said Nala happily.

The expression of every pride member was like if they had seen a ghost. For some moments, they got completely paralyzed. Eventually, Koza said: "Uh… say again?"

"SIMBA!" insisted Nala happily. "Simba is alive!"

"How is that possible?" asked Tojo.

He was, in a way, happy that his best cubhood friend was alive, but he was also feeling a little bit uncertain. If Simba would become king, it would possibly imply to kill Scar… and Scar had been like a father to him for many years.

"I don't know the exact answer." said Nala. "I haven't asked him yet. But the basic point of the situation is that a meerkat and a warthog saved him and took care of him until now. Now that he showed up… well, according to the law, Simba is currently the rightful king. But, if he isn't, well, I suppose we all here are willing to help him take the throne. Right?"

"RIGHT." said all the members of the pride, almost in unison.

But some of them seemed uncertain. Shani, Sakia, Uzuri, and Mega, particularly. However, Nala decided not to pay too much attention to that.

"We better go." said Sarafina. "Sarabi is with Scar as we speak."

And so, all the pride began running to Pride Rock. Closing the line were Nala and Shani. Nala noticed something unusual in her friend's face. Not bad, but… she seemed a little bit… indifferent to the situation.

"Are you alright, Shani?" asked Nala, worried.

"Yes, Nala, I'm alright." said Shani, with normal voice.

"Uh… and what do you think?" asked Nala. "About Simba being back? How do you feel?"

"Uh… mainly curious." said Shani.

"Curious?" asked Nala, confused. "I thought you were happy."

"In a way, I am." thought Shani. "But I never truly missed him, because after all I never had a brother. But if his return means Kisasian going away, maybe I shouldn't feel happy… or should I? If he goes away, at least I won't be haunted by that Adia anymore."

In fact, Shani wasn't exactly sure of what to do. After all, Scar's time wouldn't last forever, and someone would eventually have to take his place. When that happened, it would be better to be her brother, from royal blood, than the son of a rogue, like Bovu. Of course, under than context, the best would be to have Kisasian on the throne.

"And for what?" thought Shani. "For him to rule by the side of that Adia? Having an outsider on the throne?"

So, after all, the lioness didn't know which was her side exactly. She was happy for her brother being alive – at least if it meant the end of her mother's suffering and sadness, but she wasn't happy at all with the fact of it meaning Scar stepping down. Because that would mean Kisasian going away… why she kept thinking about him that much, it was something she didn't know. After all, she simply couldn't decide who she supported.

Hoping that her silence hadn't been too long, she quickly added: "Of course I'm happy, Nala. After all, I will have the chance to see my brother."

"Ah, good." said Nala, smiling. "After all, he is your brother. You should love him, being of your family."

"Well, I believe that I will, when I know him." said Shani.

Nala seemed satisfied with that answer, and kept running.

"But what may happen now?" thought Shani. "I mean… uncle Scar isn't a that bad king… how will my brother be? What will he do about the hyenas?"

And it was thinking about the possible advantages and disadvantages of her brother's kingship that Shani made her way to Pride Rock, thinking if the best would be try to help Scar or just accept her brother.

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Shani could be uncertain about what to do, but, far from them, on the northern border – or, more precisely, on the Cubs Sanctuary – there was someone very sure. Zira was there with her whole pride, trying to make the final details of the scouting plan clear. The lioness was sitting on the top of the rock, with her pride gathered around it. On the top of the rock, she would surely be heard better by her subjects and family. After all, it was impossible for all those giant felines to fit comfortably in the small cave. The pride had been divided in three scouting groups. One of them was led by Arista, the second by Dhalimu, and the third by Rama. Zira wouldn't be able to take part in them, because she was still in the Cubs Sanctuary with her three youngest cubs, but she helped in defining them, because she was the Golden One that knew the Pride Lands better. But it wasn't easy to define scouting plans, because Nuka was constantly interrupting her, trying to tell something.

"Not now, Nuka." she would always whisper gently to his ear. "Mom is busy."

After some time, the scouting plans were finally defined. The first area to be scouted by the three teams would be on the west, but each time would go to a different part of the western area.

"So, have you all understood?" asked Zira.

The pride nodded.

"Good luck." replied the queen.

The pride began leaving the area around the cave, divided in several small groups. Only Zira and Shakisa stayed on the cave, with their cubs. Shakisa was feeling a little bit tired, so she was sleeping. Only Zira was awaken, seeing her pride leaving.

"Mom!" insisted Nuka, this time more decisively.

"What does he want today?" thought the lioness. "He is deffinetely unbearable. What happened with him?"

She sighed heavily, and asked: "What is it, sweet?"

"Dad is in danger." said Nuka. "In very serious danger."

Zira was a little bit amazed by that question, but she decided that Nuka could be just scared about a nightmare that he had. So, she just whispered: "Honey, are you sure it wasn't just a bad dream?"

"It wasn't a bad dream!" insisted the young cub, with desperate – but at the same time surprisingly serious – voice. "Dad is alone, and Pridelanders want to kill him! They hate him!"

"Your dad is…" began saying Zira, but then she realized the terrifying truth. "… alone!"

"And we can't trust in those hyenas to protect him…" added Zira in mind. "Crap. I just hope they will hear me!"

In a desperate attempt, she began running after her pride, trying to gather them together again on the Cubs Sanctuary. The first group that she caught had her father and siblings as some of the members.

"What's the matter, Zira?" asked Arista, confused.

"We must gather our pride again on the Cubs Sanctuary!" said Zira. "It is urgent!"

Nobody was understanding the urgency of the sudden gathering, but nobody objected when Zira gathered them again on the Cubs Sanctuary. When they were gathered, Kisasian asked: "Mom, what's happening?"

"Your father is in danger!" said Zira forcefully.

A collective gasp sounded there. Nobody was actually able to speak after that. Where had Zira gotten such a crazy idea?

"Why do you say that, my dear?" asked Dhalimu. "Why do you say that Scar is in danger?"

"Not me." said Zira. "Nuka says."

"It is true!" insisted Nuka. "Dad is in danger."

"It can't be a joke." thought Rama. "Nuka's voice is too serious."

"So…" said Zira. "He is danger. We must go! He can't be alone with those hyenas and Pridelanders."

And then, the horrifying truth fell on them like if it was a herd of elephants. If Scar was actually alone, nobody would help him to repress an eventual mutiny of Pridelanders or hyenas. The Golden Pride wasn't half of the desperate that Zira was, but they were very worried nonetheless.

Zira walked to Shakisa, and said: "Shakisa, my dear, wake up!"

The surprised lioness opened her eyes, and asked: "What is it, my lady?"

"My pride and I are going to Pride Rock." said the queen. "Stay here, with Yakta, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu. Or come with us… if you come, leave Yakta here… or bring him with you… you decide."

In a second, Shakisa got completely awake.

"Are you lost your mind?" asked Shakisa, covering her mouth with her paws on the next moment, fearing that her queen would punish her for such an insult.

"No." said Zira. "But if I'm late, I can lose my mate!"

Without further words, she began running to Pride Rock. Turning back one last time, she called to her pride: "What are you waiting? Come!"

The surprised lions and lionesses took some time to react, but eventually, they all ran after Zira, with Kisasian on the lead. On the Cub's Sanctury, stayed only Shakisa with her son and her queen's cubs.

But Shakisa was feeling worried. Pridelanders were more numerous than Golden Ones, and with the hyenas… every help was little. So, she decided to go to Pride Rock, and help her pride. But before, there was one last thing to do.

"Nuka…" she said to the scrawny prince. "Will you be alright with your siblings?"

"Yes, aunt Shakisa." said Nuka. "Please, don't let them hurt daddy!"

Shakisa went to her sleeping son, and grabbed him on her jaws. It was dangerous to go with her cub, but at least she could keep an eye on him if she took him. The cub slowed her down, but she hoped not to arrive too much time after her pride.

"Mom, where are we going?" asked Yakta, waking up.

But, when he noticed that his mother couldn't answer, he added: "Never mind. You'll tell me when we get there."

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Sarabi was walking to Pride Rock with calm steps, but inside she was very scared. She was almost certain that her plans had been discovered both by Scar and the hyenas. At least, that was what seemed to be indicated by the hostile stares of the scavengers, and their false bites at her legs. She knew that her whole plot was about to be discovered. If Nala failed, or returned after the Golden Pride, they were all doomed. But Nala had gone two weeks before… what hope there was? Whatever, there was only one thing left, hoping that she hadn't been discovered: play her role to the end.

"To think that, in a way, I'm doing it for you!" thought Sarabi as she ascended Pride Rock. "Scar… why it had to go like that?"

"Yes, Scar?" she asked calmly, when she got right in front of her king.

"Where is your hunting party?" asked Scar furiously. "They're not doing their job."

Scar was feeling on the edge of exhaustion, like his whole pride, or maybe even more. After all, he was the king, ready to feed his pride at any cost. And his pride – at least one of them – was failing him. Golden Ones, that weren't on their land, were doing the best possible job to find preys, but Pridelanders just stayed there, without using all their effort, which was critical, specially in a Great Drought.

"Scar, there is no food. The herds have moved on." replied Sarabi with all the calm that she could have.

"No. You're just not looking hard enough." said the king angrily.

His sentence had some truth. Golden Ones had discovered some zebras on the southern border, but the Pridelanders were still too hopeful on their plot to take full effort on their search. Sarabi knew Scar's sentence was true, but she had to keep her role.

"It's _over._ There is nothing left." concluded Sarabi calmly. But she added with more forceful voice: "We have only one choice. We _must_ leave Pride Rock."

"We're not going anywhere!" shouted Scar, while his stare added: "And you know perfectly why! I gave my word! I keep it! And what about you?"

"Then you have sentenced us to death!" said a shocked Sarabi.

"Then so be it!" insisted Scar.

They knew what was the problem there. Not about pride… he was talking about their lives.

"You can't do that!" said Sarabi, amazed and disgusted.

"I'm the king, I can do whatever I want." said Scar.

"You want Mufasa?" thought Scar. "I will show you that I can also be like Mufasa."

Sarabi began saying: "If you were _half_ the king Mufasa was you would nev…"

And then, it happened. All the anger and reproach mixed with hunger and thirst blew up on Scar's left paw, that was faster than his mind.

"I'm _ten_ times the king Mufasa was!" shouted Scar, as he hit Sarabi with full might, knocking her out.

But then, before he could add anything more, something very strange happened. A lion stood on a close ledge, growling lowdly, as lightning crashed behind him to give a very scary effect. It was like…

"Mufasa?" asked a scared Scar, giving several steps back. "No, you're dead."

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Simba walked to Sarabi, and gently nudged her neck with his nose, trying to wake her up. If before he was angry at Scar, after seeing him knock out his mother he was even more. His father would never hit his subjects like that.

But suddenly, as he gave an angry stare at Scar, he heard his mother waking up.

"Mufasa?" she asked with quiet and scared voice.

What had happened? Had she been killed by Scar's blow, and was this the Other World or something? But then, the answer came.

"No." replied the young lion. "It's me."

"Simba?" asked Sarabi. "You're alive? How can that be?"

"It doesn't matter." said Simba with calming voice. "I'm home."

With those words, he nuzzled his mother. Sarabi just couldn't help but to feel relief exploding inside her. With Simba there, they would finally be able to go, and with Simba as rightful king, Scar had to step down.

Meanwhile, Scar was slowly returning to awareness of the whole situation.

"Simba?" asked the king, surprised. "Simba…"

He chuckled, and added: "Oh, I'm a little surprised to see you…"

He gave an angry glare at his triplets, and added: "…alive."

The three hyenas gulped and hid. Simba being alive wasn't exactly the thing that cared the most for Scar. Simba could perfectly be alive if he had stayed somewhere else. He had been sure that his words were enough to keep him away, if, for some reason, it happened for Simba to survive. But now… he was back? What would happen?

"Is there any hope of reasoning with him better than with Bovu?" thought Scar.

But he soon understood that this hope was unlikely, because Simba walked to him with a furious look, and said in furious voice: "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart."

Scar noticed Sarabi's triumphant look behind Simba.

"Oh, Simba, you must understand." said Scar as he backed away to wall, with his nephew walking to him. "The pressures of ruling a kingdom..."

"…are no longer yours." said Simba. "Step down, Scar."

"The thing is going better than for Bovu." thought Scar ironically. "At least, he doesn't want me dead. But I can't step down. It would endanger the lives of the hyenas, and, most importantly, of Golden Ones."

In an attempt to buy time, he replied: "Oh, oh, ye… Well, I would, heh, naturally, heh - however, there is one little problem. You see _them?_"

He pointed to the rock above where several of the hyenas were. He said: "They think I'M king."

"Well, _we_ don't" sounded one voice. "Simba is the rightful king."

The two lions looked behind, and saw Nala with the rest of the pride. Penda and Sabini were helping Sarabi to get up. For Scar, seeing Nala was also like seeing someone rising from the dead, he never thought that she would return after an absence of two weeks, at least considering she had left during a Great Drought. But there was something worse. All the Pridelanders were confident, placing their hopes on Simba, as if it all had been… set up! Now, Scar understood. Pridelanders had been plotting against him. And all were very certain of that. But Scar noticed some hesitation in the eyes of Tojo, Shani, Uzuri, Mega and Sakia. Particularly the last one seemed to be there only because there wasn't any other choice.

"I'm happy with seeing my best friend again." thought Tojo. "I don't deny that. But why he had to mess up everything?"

"So… that's my brother?" thought Shani. "Well… his fur has the same colour than mine. But he is… different, there's no doubt on that. Was my dad like him? Well, for now I just can wait to see what happens."

"Oh… why it has to be?" thought Sakia, on the edge of bursting in tears. "Why do I have to be such a coward, that doesn't even stand for the king? Scar… please forgive me for my lack of loyalty."

But probably, the one most confused there was Mega. During all of Scar's reign, he knew of the plot, but he never had the real bravery to oppose his pride. And besides, his own grudge against hyenas was, in a way, persuading him to accept Sarabi's plan to depose Scar, if that meant to avenge his beloved mate. But now, with Simba's return, things were getting more and more complicated.

"One of the most amazing things of life is that it's never so complicated that can't get even worst." thought Mega, looking uncertainly on Simba. "Why Simba had to return? I don't have a single thing against him being alive… but things were already complicated enough without him being here… and this is all Ahadi's fault! Why do I always have to repair the damage made by him? If he hadn't treated Scar like that, nothing would have happened! Oh, well, looks like the only thing I can do is wait and watch."

Meanwhile, the conflict between the king and his nephew was continuing.

"The choice is yours, Scar." said Simba, angrily. "Either step down or fight."

"I would choose to reason with you, if it was possible." thought Scar. "But you don't reason… and if I step down, hyenas and Golden Ones will suffer. Sorry boy… but you must die again. Die… after all, you killed Mufasa…"

"Oh, must it all end in _violence?_" asked Scar, beginning to walk to the Pridelanders. "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?"

"That's not gonna work, Scar." replied Simba. "I've put it behind me."

"I'm not so sure." thought Scar in mind.

But he faced the Pridelanders, and added: "Eh, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind _them?_"

"Simba, what is he talking about?" asked Nala, confused.

"So Simba hasn't told them?" thought the king. "That explains almost everything… I assume my problem is now solved."

"Ahh, so you haven't told them your little secret." said Scar to his nephew, unable to repress the delight in his voice. "Well, Simba, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's _death!_"

All the stares focused on Simba. Particularly, Shani was more curious to know.

"Does he know who is responsible for my… OUR father's death?" thought Shani. "If he knows… why hasn't he avenged dad? Oh… I assume I may do it instead… but that will be Simba's work. I will just help him…"

Simba just stood there for some time. Finally, he said, with a painful stare: "I am."

Everyone there stood in disbelief for a long time. Shani was shocked only after the first moments, but then, she didn't repress her will of jumping to Simba and killing him. Only an alert Tojo had been able to stand between Shani's rage and Simba's death, pinning the lioness to the ground and covering her mouth before she pounced.

"MURDERER!" shouted Shani in mind. "You killed dad… it's because of you that mom's suffering began… and after all these years you return like if nothing happened! I'll kill you!"

It was confusing, she didn't exactly know. In a way, she wanted Scar out of there, but, after hearing what her brother said, she also wished the same about him. But, without one, the other wouldn't go. Who to choose? The young lioness was confused, and, in that state of mind, only her rage and anger against Simba prevailed. If she wasn't being held by Tojo, her father's murderer would most likely be dead.

"It can't be…" thought Mega, watching the scene. "Simba was such a nice and gifted cub… why would he kill Mufasa?"

Meanwhile, Sarabi walked to Simba, and said: "It's not true."

She added, with desperate voice: "Tell me it's not true!"

That was even worse than Scar killing Mufasa. On that night, she had gotten almost mad… but now… hearing that her own son had been responsible for her mate's death…

For a moment, the young lion stayed silent, until he added regretfully: "It's true."

"You see, he admits it! MURDERER!" said Scar, as lighting crashed behind him, as if to puntcuate the line.

"Indeed." thought Scar. "I don't deny I killed Mufasa, but if you hadn't been born, Mufasa would live! Your birth finally stole Sarabi from me!"

"No, it was an accident!" said Simba, as Scar paced around him.

"If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead; do you deny it?" asked Scar, walking around Simba.

"No." replied Simba plainly.

"Then… you're… guilty." said Scar severely.

"No, I'm not a murderer!" shouted Simba, as thunder crashed again.

Shani was still trying to release herself from Tojo's grip. She couldn't shout because of her covered mouth, but she thought: "LET ME GO! I will avenge my father! I will make Simba pay for causing so much suffering to mom!"

The next seconds were like a blank to the whole pride. It was as if the scene passed directly to Scar backing Simba to the edge of Pride Rock, followed by the hyenas.

"You are innocent, boy." thought Scar. "Don't think that I don't regret this. But I will tell you the truth before your death."

"Oh, Simba, you're in trouble again." said Scar pushing Simba even further. "But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now EVERYONE.. KNOWS... _WHY!_"

In the last word, Simba finally fell from Pride Rock.

"Simba!" shouted Nala, terrified.

"And a good fall!" shouted Shani in mind. Finally, she stopped fighting, and Tojo released her. "At least, uncle Scar has avenged dad. I would want so much to do it instead…"

Fortunately, Simba managed to cling to the ledge with his front paws. Just when he slipped, some lightning ignited a fire.

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Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa were still trying to get rid of the hyenas that followed them. Thanks to several powerful kicks from Pumbaa and bites on sensitive spots from Timon, most of them had ran back to Pride Rock with their tails between their legs, but some of them were persistent, which made Pumbaa to enter a cave in an attempt to escape. The hyenas followed him, but they soon regretted it.

The warthog released a massive fart inside the cave, and the hyenas ran back to Pride Rock, following their compatriots. Pumbaa came out of the cave, snorting like a bull. Timon, on his friend's back, inhaled deeply, and said: "I love the smell of Pumbaa in the sunset."

Suddenly, the ground rumbled under Pumbaa's feet, and a voice said: "Hey, hey, hey. Move your tush, honey!"

That voice was well-known to Timon… but he never thought that he would hear it again… and when he looked to the ground, he had a big surprise.

"Ma? Uncle Max?" said Timon, astonished.

It were indeed them. What they were doing there, was a mystery, but, for the moment, it seemed that only the happy family reunion cared. Happy, at least in Ma's case.

"Oh, Timmy." said Ma, delighted.

"Timon?" asked Uncle Max, floored.

"What are you doin' here?" asked Timon, slipping from Pumbaa's back.

"Looking for you!" replied Ma.

She and her son embraced each other, and Ma said: "Aww. Mommy's here."

But it seemed that Uncle Max wasn't as happy with seeing Timon, as he glowered disapprovingly and fingered the flower in Timon's head. Forgetting that he was still wearing the hula dress, Timon passed to the introductions, as he said: "Well, let me introduce you to my best friend. Pumbaa: Ma, Uncle Max. Uncle Max, Ma: Pumbaa."

Suddenly, the warthog gasped at a terrifying sight. Simba was on Pride Rock, being backed away to it's edge by a lion. It should be his uncle Scar. But what made Pumbaa to gasp was to see that it was the same lion that had killed Tisa.

"Aah! Look there's Simba! And that must be his uncle Scar!" said Pumbaa, terrified.

"Oh, good, they're talking things out. Which is how it should be. You know, I have a feeling everything's gonna be just fine." said Timon trustfully.

In an attempt of not to see, he turned his head away from the scene, just as Simba fell, and the lightning ignited a fire. Pumbaa gasped again, and Timon, resigned, said: "On the other hand..."

"The hyenas are up there protecting Scar. What do we do?" asked Pumbaa.

It was indeed a problem. Even though their first priority was to help Simba climbing back, there was the problem of the hyenas. But Timon knew how to solve it.

"Well, I've got a plan..." said the young meerkat.

"How can we help?" asked Ma willingly.

"Ma, Uncle Max: You're going to dig a trap." said Timon in pep-talk mode. "We're going to need—dare I say it?—tunnels... lots and lots of tunnels."

He turned to the warthog, and added: "And Pumbaa. You and me... we've gotta get those hyenas away from Simba."

"Ooh, ooh! And lure them into the trap?" asked Pumbaa excitedly.

"Ho ho! Nothing gets past you. Come on, Pumbaa. Let's ride." said Timon, jumping on his friend's back.

The warthog took off with Timon on his back, but Ma and Uncle Max stayed still for a moment, watching Timon.

"Y'know, Something's different about Timon..." said Ma reflectively.

"You think?" asked Uncle Max frantically.

But he added, in louder voice: "He's wearin' a _dress!_"

The last word echoed several times, which reminded Timon of that small detail. But it had easy solution, as he took off the dress, while riding on Pumbaa. Both of them hoped it wouldn't be too late to save Simba.

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_What did you think? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	65. Chapter 64: Confession and conflict

_Well... here it is a new chapter of my fanfic. Once again, most of it is novelisation from the movies... but I hope it is well written novelisation. And pay attention, because in the middle of the novelisation there are some important differences. Sorry, but I had to make some adaptations, thanks to the lack of consistence between TLK and TLK1,5. Maybe Disney should pay some more attention to particular details... whatever, I hope you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 64 – Confession and conflict**

Simba was barely managing to hold the edge of the rock. Even though his slipping was very slow, it was also certain, and a few moments without someone holding him would be enough for the lion to fall on the fiery savannah. If the landing by itself didn't kill him, the fire surely would. And the worst part was that there was nobody there to hold him. Except Scar, but he didn't seem interested at all.

"Now this looks familiar." said the king, more to himself than to Simba. "Hmm. Where have I seen this before? Let me think. Hmmm... hmmm."

Simba slipped a little bit more, but the black-maned lion finally said: "Oh yes, I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died."

His nephew slipped a little bit more, gasping in fear. He would probably have actually fallen, but, just on that moment, he was grabbed by his uncle.

"Time to confess." thought Scar. "At least you will know the whole truth."

He lowered his head to Simba's ear, and said: "And here's my little secret. I killed Mufasa."

But, unlike what Scar thought, those words as if ignited a fire inside the young lion. In a single moment, the whole scene of his father's fall into the stampede… his terrified cry as that happened… all passed in front of his eyes with a surprising speed. As Simba recalled the word that he had screamed with cubbish voice all those years ago, now he shouted with the voice of an adult lion: "_NoooooOOOO!_"

But, other than that, he also gained an unknown strength. And, in a single giant leap, he pinned Scar on his back and shouted: "MURDERER!"

The whole pride gasped in surprise at the scene. What could have happened to make Simba to gain such a might in so short time, being even able of stopping his fall? And why had he shouted at Scar "Murderer!"? Could this have something to do with the words that the king whispered to his nephew's ear?

"What happened?" thought Shani, still confused. "You are the murderer! You killed our father!"

But she didn't react. After all, she was still very confused. And now, there was only one explanation: she wanted them both dead. She wanted Simba dead, for killing her father, and she wanted Scar dead, for hitting her mother like that, and, in a way, making her suffer for many years.

Scar was also confused and surprised. This hadn't been what he expected at all. He never thought that knowing the truth would give Simba so much strength.

"Crap!" thought Scar. "How I get out of here now? My only hope is try to reason with him, and then throw him from this rock… but that' s impossible… I must improvise!"

"No, Simba, please." whispered Scar to his nephew, hoping that he would release him.

"Tell them the _truth._" said Simba with forceful voice.

"Maybe that's what I should do." thought Scar. "But not now. When you are dead, maybe I can do it. You already know. For now, I must get free!"

"Truth?" asked the scarred lion, in an attempt to temporize. "But truth is in the eye of the behold…"

He couldn't finish the sentence, because Simba placed his paw over his throat, with so much strength that Scar was almost choking.

"All right." gagged the king. "_All right._"

He added, with quiet and venomous voice: "I did it."

"So they can hear you." said Simba menacingly.

It was the only choice. Now Scar could do nothing more than telling the truth in a way that he would be heard. Close by, the hyenas were already snarling, as if they were ready to attack Simba. Scar knew that, as soon as they attacked, he would be able to get free. So, he said said, loudly but grudgingly: "I killed Mufasa!"

That short sentence was enough to make the whole pride to attack instantly. But the hyenas, who were closer, attacked Simba first, and began biting him at various places, allowing Scar to run away. But, suddenly, the whole pride joined in, and they began pushing the hyenas off Simba. All of them were worried in helping the young lion, so nobody actually paid too much attention to Scar. Some of the hyenas were still on the young lion, but Nala, wanting to help her friend, began pushing them off.

Only Sakia stayed behind, unsure about what to do, but several unoccupied hyenas began attacking her, and, on the moment she saw the scavengers, she knew her only choice was to fight.

"I'm doing it because it is my only solution." thought the greyfurred lioness. "Why can't I be simply brave enough to help Scar? Why am I such a coward? My king… you deserved for more loyal subjects than me…"

She would try to reason with the hyenas, but the crazy and hungry stares of the scavengers indicated that they weren't in that mood. So, she could only fight, and kill the hyenas.

Suddenly, a battle scream echoed all around Pride Rock, but neither lions nor hyenas, focused on fighting, paid attention to it.

"_Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah!_" shouted Pumbaa, while he charged at the mass of hyenas in his way, throwing each scavenger that he hit to the air.

"'Scuse me. Pardon me. Comin' through. Hot stuff. Whoo!" said Timon, as he finally jumped from Pumbaa's back, as the warthog poked one hyena in the butt with his tusks, and kicked the jaw of other scavenger that was pouncing on him from behind.

The two friends ran in separate directions, each one of them trying to attract the hyenas. But first, it would be necessary to fight them for some time, because it wasn't likely that the trap was already done.

Meanwhile, Simba was facing some hyenas. Because he was shielding his back with the rock, it was easy for him to remove the scavengers that attacked from front, but suddenly, one of them jumped from the rock above and bit his neck.

The lion's mane shielded a little bit the blow, but he roared in pain at the same. But, before the hyena could bite deeper and correct the mistake, a stick seemed to come out of nowhere, and ended the hyena's life after a hit on the head.

Simba looked up, and saw Rafiki, lifting his stick with a battle scream, before jumping into the middle of the scavengers. Taken by surprise at the beginning, the hyenas began trying to attack Rafiki, but thanks to surprisingly fast and agile moves, the mandrill avoided all the attacks, and each hyena hit was killed or knocked out on the spot.

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Tojo was speeding up through the middle of his pride and the hyenas, looking for his target. But, in the middle of so many bodies, it was difficult to find out the one that he was looking for. Just the very thought about him made his mind to burn.

Scar.

During all those years… the lion that had cared about him like a father… that helped and supported him so many times… that had managed to keep his pride alive during the three years from Great Drought… had become king thanks to a crime. Because of the murder of Mufasa, and the attempt of murdering Simba.

And then, it came the chance. Beyond a wall of hyenas and lionesses fighting, he saw him. Scar. Murderer. Tojo's mind was simply processing this simple fact, as he looked for the easiest way to get to the scarred lion.

"Focuse on your target." thought Tojo, as he remembered the lessons from his training, that lasted for more than four years.

But the situation changed, as he noticed that, close to him, the hyenas were fighting Kula. He wanted to help her as quick as possible, but first, he had another thing to do. He wouldn't kill Scar – that would be Simba's duty – but he also wanted to show the black-maned lion what he thought of his action.

Meanwhile, one of the five hyenas that were fighting Kula tried to bite the lioness's neck. She managed to drive the scavenger off, by shaking herself as hard as possible.

"No killing!" shouted Scar as loud as he could, as he tried to command the hyenas.

Since the very beginning of the confrontation, he had tried to command the fighting hyenas as well as possible, but he understood it was useless. The hyenas weren't listening to him, but simply fighting for their own interests. Namely, get alive and going for a greener land. Somehow, it seemed that they also wanted Scar's deposing. So now, there was only one hope to the king – to find Golden Ones. They would help him surely.

But, as Scar turned to his left, he saw a massive lion – as big as Mufasa was in his lifetime – jumping to the same ledge where he tried to command the hyenas. For a moment, Scar mistook the attacker for Simba, but, when he saw who the lion actually was, he felt like paralysed, both with fear and with disappointment. But there was something else. The other lion was raising his right paw, in a gesture that Scar knew very well… and that his own father had done to him, when he was still a six months old cub. Thanks to some fire-effect, the other lion's mane seemed black, and his eyes looked green. The facial expression of the lion was also exactly the same that Scar had seen on his own father – right on the night when he stopped being Taka. In front of that terrifying image, the king just couldn't help but trying to shrink into himself with a scared look, as if he was a cub again.

And then, in a single movement, Tojo lowered his right paw, whacking Scar exactly over the mark on his left eye. Not a word was spoken, but the king's scream of pain echoed all around Pride Rock. For some seconds, all the living creatures there got like paralysed as the king expressed his agony. But it wasn't only physical. Scar felt like his heart was cut in two when even Tojo – the lion that he had always tried to treat like a son – was turning against him.

After some short seconds, the blue-eyed lion looked at Scar right in the eyes, and said, with grudgeful and venomous voice: "Long live the king."

When he finished those words, he jumped directly into the head of one hyena that Kula had been fighting, killing the scavenger instantly. Surprisingly, that was assumed as the signal for the fight to continue.

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Mega had been one of the first lions to begin the fight, and currently he was fighting a group of four hyenas. But, unlike the other lions, he was fighting not because he wanted Scar's deposal, but because he wanted to avenge his mate. Besides, the hyenas were attacking any feline there… the answer to an immobile lion would be sudden death. In the beginning, it had been a shock knowing that Scar had killed Mufasa, but now that it had been told, Mega just wondered how he hadn't thought about that earlier. And also: how he could blame Scar?

"Let's see…" thought Mega, as he roared to the scavengers. "Mufasa wasn't an evil lion… but he wasn't good for his younger brother… I mean… he turned his father against Scar when the poor a six months old cub… Scar could have died when Ahadi hit him! Mufasa was always arguing with him… jealous of him… he almost caused Zira's death with his wicked plot! Maybe it's a shame that Mufasa and Taka stopped being friends… oh, again one of Ahadi's mistakes! He always thought that I would be there to repair his mistakes! Why couldn't he learn that I can't repair them all?"

But one mistake that he could pay back was not having been where his mate was when the hyenas attacked her. Or at least… he could avenge her.

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Close by, Shani was also fighting the hyenas. She wasn't fighting them with all her heart, but she had some decisiveness in it, especially since her mother gave her a stare as if she said: "Join the fight! For your father!". After all, it were the hyenas that had collaborated in killing her father and grandfather – and mainly, if she didn't fight, the hyenas would kill her. In that state, the scavengers were attacking any lion at sight, except Scar. Shani didn't know exactly why she was fighting the hyenas. If it was for her father, if it was because her mother had told her to do so, or because there was the possibility of driving off Adia and the Golden Ones with the hyenas. It could be none of them, or even part of each one. Whatever were her reasons to fight the hyenas, she was probably the lioness doing it more easily – eventhough she was young, she was already the biggest lioness on Pride Rock, being slightly bigger than her mother, and, as full grown – what would happen in a year or two – she probably would have the size of some lions, and even now, she was already almost as tall as her brother.

But there was another problem that she was facing. What would happen after the battle

"What will I do?" thought Shani, as her heavy golden paw broke the neck of a hyena. "What will Kisasian think about me when he returns from scouting and sees that I have been helping on deposing his father? But his father killed mine! Kisasian and I… he has nothing to do with his father's actions! But he has Adia… and if he will be angry, will be on Simba, not on me… oh, he will be angry on me for not doing anything to help his father, and then I won't have any chance with him… but I already don't have with Adia around! I will… no, I can't kill her! Kisasian wouldn't forgive me… and he would suffer too much… I don't want him to suffer… but what can I do now? Well… simply fight the hyenas, because if I stay still, they will kill me."

And so, Shani just kept fighting, as she pushed two hyenas off Pride Rock.

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Timon was also facing the hyenas. He couldn't do it as efficiently as the lions, or even as Pumbaa and Rafiki, but he also could do quite some help. Biting the hyenas as hardly as he could, he at least distracted them for enough time for a lion to kill them or putting them running for their lifes, and often, several hyenas that tried to help their clanmembers and drive off the meerkat ended up biting the hyena, because Timon was agile.

At the moment, he was facing a hyena with two round cuts on each ear, by grabbing a stick on fire from the ground, and poking the scavenger's butt with it. With each attack of the meerkat, the hyena yelped in pain.

"Don't worry Ed, we're gonna help ya!" said Banzai, as he and Shenzi ran to their brother.

As Timon saw them coming close, he grabbed his stick, and smacked Banzai's muzzle. The hyena shouted in pain, but suddenly, Shenzi threw Timon's weapon off the meerkat's paws.

Without his attacking tool, Timon could do nothing but run away, as Banzai and Shenzi chased him, trying to bite his tail. He ended up running away into the cave, right to it's end, where Zazu was trapped.

The poor hornbill had listened the fight of the scavengers with the lions, and also about Simba's return. He hoped that finally things would go well, but as he saw the meerkat running to his cage chased by the hyenas, he had some doubts.

"Let me out! Let me out!" shouted the majordomo as the scavengers chased their prey towards his cage.

"Let me in! Let me in!" shouted Timon, passing between the ribs that served as Zazu's cage.

But it wouldn't serve of too much, because hyenas have jaws powerful enough to crush bones. Both Timon and Zazu knew it, and at the moment they could do nothing but trying to comfort each other.

Timon turned to the hyenas, and said, in pleading voice: "_Ple-he-hease_ don't eat me."

But the meerkat instantly knew he was saved when a well-known voice said angrily: "Drop'em."

The hyenas and their potential preys turned to the cave's entrance and saw Pumbaa, looking at them angrily. Banzai was getting annoyed, besides of recognizing Pumbaa. He asked: "Hey, who's the pig?"

That was Banzai's biggest mistake. If Pumbaa was already angry at the hyenas for them being about to eat his best friend, he was completely furious at them calling him that word. He wasn't a pig, but a warthog. Well… in a way, he was a pig, but only his close friends could call him that. And surely the hyenas weren't his close friends.

"Are you talking to me?" asked Pumbaa angrily.

"Uh oh. They called him a pig." said Timon, seemingly worried.

"Are you talking to _me?!_" asked Pumbaa louder than before.

"Shouldn't 'a done that." said the meerkat.

"ARE YOU TALKING TO _ME?!?_" repeated Pumbaa, screaming.

"Now they're in for it." said Timon, smiling.

"They CALL me... _MIIISTER PIG!_" said Pumbaa, before giving a battle scream and charging at the terrified hyenas.

Shenzi and Banzai were so scared that they didn't even move a muscle, as Pumbaa hit them furiously. Ed, watching the fight from the cave's entrance, could do nothing but observe. Suddenly, his siblings left the cave, terrified, and then, the warthog came out of the cave, carrying the meerkat, with the hornbill flying close.

"Run, you yellow belly!" shouted Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu at the same time.

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Simba jumped to a ledge, trying to reach a better place to look for his uncle. It sickened him that the lion was his uncle after what he had done to him. It was even hard to think that he had ever loved Scar when he was a cub. Scar had always seemed strange to him, but he was funny in his own way. But now… Scar was the thing that he hated the more in this world. For having killed his father, for destroying a kingdom, and for making his mother and pride to suffer.

Finally, he spotted his target, trying to sneak close to the wall. In that darkened area, it wasn't easy to see him, but when lighting crashed, the lion was instantly shown. And he understood that.

Simba ran to Scar after roaring once. The king could do anything but trying to escape to the top of Pride Rock. It was dangerous – specially considering that his left eye was half-blind by the blood from his recently opened scar flowing on it, but any other way would mean to be caught by Simba or by the fire.

Fortunately, some of the hyenas who still were supporting Scar at least as much as themselves had noticed that their king was in danger, and had run to help him, following the golden-furred lion. Eventually, he was caught by them, and were too much for him to risk to turn their backs on them. If he did, he could be severely injured.

But suddenly, as the lion tried to face the hyenas, Timon and Pumbaa arrived to a ledge above Simba and the hyenas. It was time to get their attention.

"Hey, Pumbaa! What do you call a hyena with half a brain?" asked Timon, loudly enough for the hyenas to hear.

It worked, because all the hyenas instantly looked on them. Simba used the chance to escape and follow his uncle.

"Thanks guys!" he said in mind, for not to alert the scavengers. "I owe you one!"

Meanwhile, Pumbaa chuckled, and said: "Uh, beats me, Timon. What?"

"Gifted!" said the meerkat, as the two friends burst in laughter.

For some time, the hyenas got like paralysed, until Ed began laughing as well. Banzai smacked him, and said: "They're talkin' about us!"

"For your last meal, you're gonna eat those words." said Shenzi menacingly.

Timon and Pumbaa grinned from the ledge above for some instants, before zipping away.

"You get those two, the three of us are going to help Scar." said Shenzi. "But don't kill them before we return!"

The other hyenas obeyed, and ran after Timon and Pumbaa, as the triplets ran up Pride Rock, hoping to catch Simba before it would be too late.

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Meanwhile, Scar had jumped over a crack on the ground, right on time before the fire became too high on that place. He tried to go to the other side, but he saw only a sheer drop.

"What can I do now?" thought Scar. "I have to fight against my own pride? What made them to support Simba?"

But he knew the answer to his question: "Sarabi… Nala… Tojo! Even you, Tojo! I loved you as a son once, and I also loved Sarabi… now this is my payback! What can I do now? Oh… I must find Zira and her cubs and keep them out of here! Then find Golden Ones… they are probably on west… but how to get down before Simba catches me? I have to…"

As he looked around him, trying to look for a way out of there, he thought: "I have to estinguish this fire, that is blocking almost every path, except those clear of vegetation!"

But, as he looked backwards, he knew it would be too late. From the other side of the flames, Simba appeared, landing on his four paws. Scar knew that he stood little chances. Simba was stronger, younger, and better nourished.

"Weak, as always!" thought the king. "Why am I not used to it? My victory over Bovu gave me too much faith!"

"Murderer." called Simba with freezing hatred on his voice, walking to his uncle with a stare as burning as the flames around them.

"Simba, Simba. Please. Please have mercy. I beg you." said Scar, while he thought: "Where can the Desert Pride be? Will I get there on time?"

"You don't deserve to live." said his nephew exactly in the same voice than before.

"Maybe according to your glorious laws of the Circle of Life." thought Scar. "No… not only according to that. Also according to the love that you feel for your father, and the hatred that you feel towards me. I understand what you feel, but I can't die! I can't let Zira alone with our cubs! Even Kovu and Vitani, who aren't from my blood… but I love them as their father. What can I do?"

For now, his only hope was to temporize. He said, with unsure voice: "But, Simba, I am... ah... _family._"

Finally, he regained composure, and said: "It's the hyenas who are the real enemy. It was their fault - it was their idea!"

But Scar, totally focused on his nephew and his thoughts, didn't notice an important thing. His hyena triplets were close behind. They couldn't follow Simba further, because hyenas can't jump as far as lions, but they heard Scar's conversation with his nephew. And it was like feeling their hearts torn apart. They all were having the same kind of thoughts, simmilar in general, eventhough in a different way.

"We are the enemy?" thought Shenzi as she and her brothers stepped back, growling. "After our clan having done the best possible to help you and your pride, you say we are the enemy? We may have complained… and even rebelled… but that's because we wanted to survive! We always respected you… I and my brothers loved you as a mix of father and big brother. During the last months, you have been using too heavy means to keep the order when we made a mutiny. We accepted, even though we almost rebelled. Now, only the last bits of respect and gratefulness that we felt for you made us to come to help you, otherwise we wouldn't come. And now you say we are the enemy? After I get that meerkat and warthog, the clan will get you!"

Meanwhile, Simba was almost on Scar. He said, even more hatefully than before: "Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a _lie._"

"No." thought Scar. "I never told you any lie. I always kept my word when I have it! I told you your father would be alive if you weren't born! Your birth took Sarabi away!"

But now, he had to get out of there. He asked, in another attempt to find a way out: "What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your own uncle...?"

"No, Scar." said Simba. "I'm not like you."

"You couldn't be more right." said the king. But he only said aloud, as he got up: "Oh, Simba, thank you. You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. How can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me; I mean, anything."

"_Run._" said Simba gravely and with deep anger. "Run away, Scar. And never return."

"Who would say it?" thought Scar. "Looks like you would be a rather good king. At least, you are better at one point that my brother, father, and I. You try to forgive. Maybe if my father, Mufasa, and I had tried to forgive each other, things would be different today. You seem better than us in that. And who would guess? You do what your father and grandfather didn't dare. You banish me. You are also braver than them. But I can't do that. I can't let you hurt Zira and the Golden Pride."

But he finally saw a solution: glaring coals on the ground. If he threw them to Simba's face, it would be enough to make him win the fight. He said to Simba: "Yes. Of course. As you wish _your Majesty!_"

On the last word, he threw the coals to his nephew's face. As the other lion tried to take them off, Scar jumped on him, as the two lions began fighting fiercely. After some time, Scar, with a strength that even he didn't know to have, managed to pin Simba on his back, and tried to bite his throat. But the young lion had finally recovered his vision, and dodged the attack. Before his uncle could hit again, Simba smacked his muzzle, and, finally, released, got up.

The two lions began fighting again, even more fiercely than before. How much time took the fight, that was one thing neither of them could guess. It could have been only some minutes, but for the two of them seemed like hours. Finally, Scar managed to smack his nephew into the ground, and pounced, just like he had done with Bovu two weeks before.

"You won't hurt Zira!" thought Scar. "You won't hurt my sons! You won't hurt Kovu and Vitani! You…"

But he never guessed what Simba would – or wouldn't – do next, because just before receiving the final blow, the young lion pushed Scar off Pride Rock with his back paws. The next moments that Scar saw were just tumbling till the bottom of Pride Rock. He didn't break any bone, but somewhere in the course his head hit a stone, and when he – thanks to a glimpse of good luck – landed on a piece of bare rock free of fire, he was knocked out.

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_Well... Scar fell from Pride Rock... but there is still something missing. Whatever, review, please! I still need opinions!_


	66. Chapter 65: A queen's swearing

_Hello. Here it is a new chapter. Scar's reign is over... but his life is not yet. There will be old characters returning here... and overall, this chapter will be more of my own, eventhough there will be a little bit of novelisation. I hope you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 65 – A queen's swearing**

While Simba was busy fighting Scar at the top of Pride Rock, Timon and Pumbaa had managed to lure the hyenas right above the trap. But there was one important problem: the trap wasn't yet ready. The duo had tried many ways of stalling the hyenas and allow Ma and Uncle Max to finish the the trap. He tried juggling, dancing, and breakdance, but, except the last attempt, that was applauded by the hyenas, nothing worked.

"Is it ready yet, Ma?!" asked Timon on the edge of his wits.

"Not yet! Keep stalling!" replied his mother from underground.

"Keep stalling?" thought Timon, as the hyenas came closer. "I don't see what else can give those hyenas a proper distraction. Except… wait, I have an idea!"

When the hyenas were coming closer, the meerkat decided to put that idea in practice.

"Waaait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second." said Timon, advancing to the hyenas and waving his arms in a "time out" gesture.

"Uh, Timon? What are you doin'?" asked Pumbaa, in a severed and at the same time confused voice.

He noticed that the hyena triplets, that had gone to Pride Rock, were returning with empty mouths, so, as the leading female passed through the middle of her clan and advanced to him, he knelt down on one knee, and said theatrically: "Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jacquelina Hyena... would you do me the honor of becoming... my bride?"

That worked as a surprise, at least for Pumbaa, who gulped with his mouth falling wide open. Shenzi was also surprised, so she stopped for a moment. But she eventually said: "I don't _think_ so!"

In an attempt to buy time, Timon made some more speech, as he said: "Shenzi Marie, please. I know what you're thinking: «We're too different.» «It'll never work.» «What will the children look like?»"

"Ooh, that violates _so_ many laws of nature." said Shenzi disgusted, still advancing to Timon and Pumbaa.

"I have to buy more time!" thought Timon. He added loudly, as he backed up against the wall: "Listen to me! The problems of a couple of wacky kids like us don't amount to hill of termites in this nutty circle-of-life thing. And so I ask you: If not now, when? If not me, who? I'm lonely."

But then, Timon understood that all his talking was being convincing. At least to someone. Pumbaa tapped his shoulder and asked, with the best face that he could have on that state of shattered emotions: "Can I be your best man?"

"I say we skip the wedding, and go straight to the buffet!" said Banzai, as he and his siblings were almost on Timon.

But suddenly, as all hopes seemed lost, Ma popped out of the ground, and asked: "Now?"

"Sure, if you're ready." said Timon nonchalantly.

Ma turned backwards, noticing the hyenas, and then she dropped back into the hole and called: "Now, Uncle Max, now!"

"Hyenas in the hole!" said Uncle Max, kicking one of the tunnel supports, making the others to fall.

The surprised hyenas began backing away as the ground cracked under their feet, but the crack stopped as one of the supports didn't fall when it hit an embedded rock. This made the scavengers to stop their exit, and look back at Timon and Pumbaa angrily.

"I need help. It didn't work." said Uncle Max as he and Ma popped out of the hole.

He turned back, seeing the hyenas, and backed up against the wall, followed by Ma.

"Hey, it works for me!"said Banzai, as the hyenas began approaching again.

"What are we gonna do?" asked Ma, terrified.

Timon at first looked terrfied, but then, he noticed their only possible way out: a huge crack between Shenzi's legs. There wasn't too much hope of reaching it, but it was the only hope left. Being devoured by the hungry hyenas wasn't hopeful at all.

"I will do it!" thought Timon, steeling himself. "I'll show these hyenas that they can't crush us! I'm the son of Fearless Buzz, and I will avenge my father!"

He began running to Shenzi's legs, aiming to the crack. The hyenas got so surprised by the meerkat's attitude that they didn't react.

"What?!" asked Shenzi, confused.

"Timon, no!" said Ma desperately.

But Timon somehow made it through the middle of the scavenger's teeth. The hyenas lost interest in him, noticing that they still had two meerkats and a warthog to eat.

"Let's get 'em." said Banzai.

The hyenas leaped at their victims, as lighting crashed. Pumbaa, Ma, and Uncle Max could do nothing but to steel themselves, however, as the clan-leader landed right in front of them, the ground gave way, until the whole ledge area collapsed into a crater, swallowing the hyenas whole. It was the proof – Timon had succeeded in the plan. But at what cost?

As Pumbaa and the two meerkats saw the hyenas arriving to the bottom of Pride Rock, a sound above them made the trio to look up. Simba had just hurled Scar over the ledge, and the lion passed through them, before falling on the ground, unconscious.

"I'd say Scar is down and out." said Pumbaa with finaltly.

"We did it. We did it!" said Uncle Max triumphantly.

But Ma had other things in mind. She was more worried with her son.

"Where's Timon? Where's my baby? He's hurt!" said Ma, shaking Uncle Max by the chest hair.

She flinged Uncle Max away and slammed Pumbaa's nose into the ground, shouting: "Oh, no! Oh, no! He's dead!"

She let go of Pumbaa as she looked around desperately, adding: "Or _worse!_ W-we gotta find him. We've gotta find him!"

"It's okay, Ma." said Timon, coming out of the hole, almost untouched – except for the dust over his fur.

"Oh, please. It is not okay! Don't you tell me it's okay!" said Ma, grabbing Timon and shaking him.

But, as she recognized her son, she said, surprised: "Timmy!"

She embraced him in a bear hug and added: "Mmm-mm! My son... the hero."

Ma tried to reach up Timon's head to comb his hair, but then she understood how Timon had actually grown – both outside and inside. She looked at her hands in embarassment.

"You missed a spot." said Timon, lowering his head for Ma to reach it.

Ma began dusting her son off, but then, Uncle Max said, as he hugged Timon by the neck: "That's so beautiful!"

"Choking... Not breathing..." whispered Timon, with his eyes bugging out.

Uncle Max's hug lasted for a rather long time, but finally, he released Timon, and all looked down to Scar, trying to see what would happen.

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Scar finally got up, and looked around wearily. He looked around, trying to find out what to do next, but there was nothing around him except darkness, fire, and rock. But then, he saw three well-known faces: his hyena triplets.

"Ahh, my friends." said Scar, getting up wearily, trying to overcome his weakness.

"Frie-he-hends? I thought he said we were the _enemy!_" said Shenzi, with an evil smile.

"Yeah, that's what _I_ heard." said Banzai.

Scar suddenly became terrified. He had told that, but he never thought the hyenas would believe him. However, they were believing.

"Ed?" asked Shenzi and Banzai at the same time.

Ed laughed - but it wasn't his normal kind of laughter – it was an evil laughter, that Scar had never heard before on that hyena's mouth. Most of the hyenas that had managed to escape the battle on Pride Rock were approaching him.

"No. L-L-L-Le-Le-Le-Le-Let me explain." said Scar very nervously, as the hyenas approached him. "No. You don't understand."

But, unfortunately, Scar knew that this time, it was the real thing. They actually wanted to kill him on that moment.

"They turn against me, while Pridelanders kill their family and friends up there!" thought Scar. "And they know it! I'm surrounded by idiots."

In fact, he was surrounded by attacking idiots. That was the crucial point. He still tried to explain: "_No!_ I didn't mean for... No, No! Look, I m sorry I called you..."

But then, the flames surrounded them. And, as the first hyena jumped on his back, he understood more explanations would be useless. But he understood something else: his beloved mate was being left alone with cubs. Alone, against enemies that wanted to kill her.

"No! _NOO!_" shouted Scar desperately, as the hyenas began devouring him alive.

In some desperate attempts to stay alive, Scar began hitting the hyenas that came close to him, killing many of them. But the ones that he killed had little significance in comparison to the ones that were left alive. The scavengers were biting him and taking several pieces out of him. Scar didn't know for how long the fight continued, but he was already exhausted. Suddenly, Shenzi said with commanding voice: "STOP!"

The hyenas stopped attacking Scar, but it wouldn't make too much difference for the lion, because he was already so injured that he was doomed. Shenzi approached Scar, and said, with hateful voice: "How ironical. You hated your father, and you will have the same death that him."

Scar didn't reply, just looked at Shenzi angrily, as the hyena opened her jaws as wide as she could, to bite his throat. But suddenly, before the hyena could bite him, something threw her away. Surprisingly, it was the motionless body of another hyena, that had been thrown from somewhere. The scavengers and Scar looked on that direction, and then, one word sounded in usinon, coming out of every hyena's mouth: "DEMON!"

Scar had noticed who it was. Zira. She was fighting several of the hyenas that were around Scar. Not far behind, were Kisasian and the rest of the Golden Pride, who joined the battle shortly after. The clan's word had some logical: Zira's fur and eyes had a strange colour given by the fire, as if her whole body was burning red. It began another fierce fight, with the hyenas and the Golden Pride attacking each other. Or, maybe better to say, the lions attacking and the hyenas trying to fight back. From what Scar managed to see, each member of the Golden Pride present there managed to kill at least one hyena, and some surpassed that number. Of course, each one also gained at least one bite from the desperate scavengers, but that was not too much harm. After a short fight, the surviving hyenas – including Scar's triplets and Shundwa – took off as fast as they could. But the Golden Pride didn't care for it. All of them were bitten, but those injuries weren't bad enough to deserve serious worry, at least compared with the condition of the hyenas, where each of the survivors was wounded. All the lions all went to their king, with Zira leading and Kisasian at his mother's side.

"Scar…" sobbed Zira, coming close to her mate. "I'm sorry we didn't come earlier…"

"Zira…" whispered her mate.

Then, another well-known face appeared, right at Zira's side. Scar added: "Kisasian…. Nuka! Vitani! Kovu! What about them?"

"They are safe, dad." said Kisasian, as tears were flowing out of his eyes. "But you… who did this? WHO DID? I WILL MAKE TEN TIMES WORST TO HIM!"

"No…" whispered Scar. "Zira… take your pride… get out of here… save the cubs… he will be merciless…"

"He?" asked Zira, confused. "Who?"

She knew someone had thrown Scar of the cliff. She and her pride had arrived on time to see it, but it was too late to stop it. But still, she didn't know exactly who did it.

"That doesn't matter." said Scar weakly. "I failed…"

"You didn't fail." said Zira. "You saved us."

"Dad…" began Kisasian, crying even more. "I'm sorry… of everything that I told you… forgive me…"

"Forgive me as well…" said Scar weakly. "For not being the best father in the world…"

The rest of the pride wasn't speaking; they were simply sitting with their heads bowed to Scar, in a sign of loyalty.

"You can't die." said Zira.

"I won't…." said Scar. "I will live… in you… in Kisasian… and in Nuka…"

"Get up, my love." whispered Zira, almost crying. "My king…"

"Zira…" whispered Scar. "Listen to me. Live your life. Find another mate, if you wish to. Remember one thing: Kovu is to be my heir. Retake the throne for him, if you are able to… but most importantly: be safe and happy. You as well, Kisasian… goodbye…"

With the last word, his head finally fell to the ground, to never stand up again. The king was dead. But his pride wasn't. Kisasian began crying violently, as Adia hugged him. She was crying as well, but even so she tried to give some comfort to her mate. Many other lionesses were crying as well, but no lion, apart from Kisasian, was crying. However, it didn't mean that their sadness was smaller.

Adia tried to comfort Kisasian with calming words, but she knew it wouldn't change what had already happened.

"It's my fault, Adia!" sobbed Kisasian. "I should have guessed that… the behaviour of hyenas… I should have stayed to help my father…"

"Kisasian…" said Adia gently. "You couldn't guess what those hyenas would do."

"But I should!" shouted Kisasian. "And because of me…"

"Kisasian!" said Adia forcefully. "You couldn't guess. But if you want to do something… we should stand up straight and see about Pridelanders. And that strange lion, that is coming down the cliff."

Kisasian looked up, and indeed saw a lion that he didn't know coming down the cliff. He was the one pushing his father to his death. He was guilty.

"I will make you pay!" said Kisasian to the lion, eventhough it was unlikely that the stranger would hear him. "You will regret what you've done!"

Since Scar's death, Zira had standing straight. It wasn't yet the proper time to cry. She had to find out who it was the "he" that Scar was talking about. And she soon found it. The strange lion that Adia had seen coming down the cliff was currently standing on a ledge above them. Zira looked at him hatefully, shortly after followed by her pride.

"Who are you?" asked the strange lion, seemingly totally confused to see a whole pride paying respects to Scar.

"I believe we have the right to ask you the same question…" said Dhalimu, growling.

"I asked first." said the other lion. "This is my land, and you are intruders. Who are you?"

"This is not your land!" said Kira. "This is Scar's land!"

"We are the Golden Pride." replied Arista, baring his teeth and extending his claws at Simba. "And now, who are you?"

"Simba." replied the lion.

Almost nobody there atributed any actual meaning to the name, but Kisasian and Zira gasped in unison: "SIMBA?"

"So you're alive?" asked Kisasian, totally lost in the middle of the situation.

Initially, he wanted so much to punish his father's murderer… but now that he had seen who it was, the thing was different. His father had been murdered by his cousin and his best friend – the lion that he missed the most during four years. What to do now?

"I can't believe this." thought Kisasian, looking at his cousin. "One of the things that I wished the most during four years was that you hadn't died, Simba. You were my best cubhood friend… and helped me many times… but now… you return and kill my father! What happened to you? You're not the Simba that I remember!"

"Kisasian?" asked Simba, seemingly confused, but at the same time hatefully.

That lion – his cousin, and one of his best friends in cubhood – was looking exactly like a copy of Scar, except for the much heavier physical building. Scar. He was still seeing his uncle, dead, with several pieces bitten off by the hyenas. On that moment, Simba just couldn't help but to feel a short wave of remorse. He didn't want his uncle's death, just his banishment. He wanted to let him live. Simba didn't pretend to let his cruelty to control him. But the hyenas had done it.

Now, there was one more important question. Who were the strange lions that were there, supporting Scar? Why?

"Who the hell is this strange lion?" thought Rama. "He appears, kills our king, and proclaims that the Pridelands are his own! He is a creature without any sort of education!"

"That's strange…" thought Arista, looking on Simba. "My daughter and grandson know this lion that just came in and killed Scar. Why? How would they come to know this tyrant brute that kills a king without any sort of respect?"

"This lion is very strange." thought Dhalimu, analyzing him closely. "He proclaims this is my land and thought about us as intruders? Well, that doesn't actually matter for now. For now… let's just see what will happen."

"You killed my father…" whispered Kisasian, looking on Simba hatefully. "I don't know what is stopping me from doing the same to you."

"I killed your father?" asked Simba, mockingly confused. "The hyenas did it. Besides, I offered him a chance to go away and never return. But he's too stubborn."

"That's even worst!" roared Kisasian, extending his claws. "You treated him like trash!"

"He killed my father!" roared Simba back. "Why should I have treated him differently?"

Kisasian had to admit that he was a little bit startled by the information. He didn't hate Simba less for that, but he was confused.

"You're lying!" said Kisasian disbeliefully, giving some steps towards Simba.

"He confessed!" roared Simba back. "He confessed to have killed him."

"Even so…" added Arista, interrupting the talking. "That doesn't give you the right of killing him. Specially when he saved Pridelanders and Golden Pride…"

"He saved Pridelanders?" asked Simba, confused. "He and his hyenas destroyed this land! YOU ALL DESTROYED THIS LAND!"

That was the biggest lie ever told by Simba, and each Golden One there knew it. But there was another question –why he believed that?

"Simba…" began Kisasian, barely repressing himself of killing his cousin, but jumping to the same ledge where he was. "As much as you may hold a grudge against the one who killed your father… just like I am now… you haven't seen a single day of my father's reign…"

"But Nala has!" said Simba. "All the Pridelanders have. And Nala told me about Scar's crimes and incompetence!"

Light came to every Golden One there. So that was why Simba believed all the lies about Scar's reign. As much as it could be true the fact of Scar having killed Simba's father, his incompetence and crimes weren't. However, it seemed Simba didn't want to be convinced of that.

Kisasian prepared to attack Simba, but, before he could do it, a lion appeared out of nowhere, and, getting Scar's son by surprise, knocked him off the ledge. The fall wasn't big, Kisasian was relatively used to pain, and he managed to fall safely, so the black-maned lion didn't get hurt. Even so, Adia ran to him and began checking him all over. Meanwhile, Simba looked at the lion that had just interfered, who was accompanied by a lioness.

He recognized the lion – it was Tojo – but the lioness was totally strange to him. That wouldn't care now. However, Tojo looked left, and, seeing the Desertlanders, he said: "Looks like you already met the Golden Pride. Scar's followers, lead by Zira."

"I knew you looked familiar." said Simba, looking in his aunt's eyes.

Tojo looked at Scar's body, barely in one piece, and was unable to repress a coming wave of remorse. Out of all the marks, the most obvious was his bleeding scar over his left eye. Tojo lowered his head, almost crying, but he couldn't do it.

Meanwhile, Shani faced Kisasian and Adia. Both of them were looking on her angrily. She wasn't concerned at all about Adia being angry at her, but Kisasian… that was another story.

"Oh… I knew he wouldn't forgive me!" thought Shani. "Specially since that Adia hangs around with him… but what it cares? Simba came and deposed Scar… now they are enemies! But I love Kisasian still…"

However, she had no time to think better about that, because the Golden Pride was making an attack formation, lead by Zira.

"Attack!" roared the queen. "For Scar!"

Each member of the Golden Pride obeyed their queen's order, running towards Simba, Tojo, and Shani. But, before they could get close, something totally unexpected happened. As if they appeared from the flames, Tojo's birds landed right on his lion's back.

"Mission accomplished." said Ubele. "We brought help. Much more than we thought."

And suddenly, from behind the flames, appeared two more groups of lions. One of the groups seemed about half of a regular pride, formed by seven lionesses, and two lions. The other seemed more like a pack, formed by three lions, and four lionesses. The biggest lion of the pack was carrying an Egyptian Vulture.

Curiously, they had come exactly from the same direction to where the hyenas had ran off. And the fact became more obvious when they came closer. All of them were dirty with blood that wasn't their own, which indicated that each of them had managed either to kill or injure at least one scavenger.

The lion that seemed to lead the first group, a young male with blackish mane, creamy fur, and ear tufts, advanced to Tojo, followed by a lion that had fur with spots simmilar to the ones of leopards and a lioness with tangerine-yellow fur.

"Here we are, Tojo!" said the lion. "Ready to help Pridelanders!"

"Malka?" asked Simba, surprised, when he recognized the other lion's ear tufts.

"Simba?" asked Malka, confused. "Weren't you dead?"

"I'm looking pretty solid." said Simba. "You can check."

But then, the pack came close to him and Tojo, and Simba noticed the leader, a heavily built male with tawny fur and brown mane. However, the lion that was coming behind him left Simba more amazed.

"Ni!" said Tojo, surprised, looking at the leader.

"Joe!" said Simba, looking at the second lion.

"Here I am." said Ni. "Giving one help to you. Nala sort of asked us that favour."

"You know Nala?" asked Simba, confused.

"You're Simba?" asked Ni. "Nala has told me many good things about you. She and Pridelanders are chasing the rest of the hyenas off. But most of the hyenas are dead. Now, let's just go to direct matters with rival lions."

In the middle of the confusion, Simba had almost forgotten the Golden Pride. But he knew what had to be done. He advanced to them, and said: "Now, you all, listen to me. I understand Scar was your king. But he is no longer. If you admit that I am the rightful king…"

"NEVER!" shouted Zira instantly, and eventhough any other member of her pride followed her in shouting, their stares showed the same message.

"Then leave!" said Simba. "Leave my father's domain! Now!"

"This isn't your wretched father's domain!" shouted Zira. "This is Scar's domain!"

"Zira…" said Simba sternly. "Don't make me to do what I don't want to."

Zira prepared to attack Simba, but before doing it, she decided to give a quick look at her nephew's allies. The newcomers were fifteen, and with Simba, Tojo, and Shani, there, that made seven lions and eleven lionesses. Which meant a serious fighting force opposing her pride. And besides, reinforcements for them were not far. She didn't see any Pridelander other than Simba, Tojo, or Shani, but she knew they were close enough to come if necessary. Zira couldn't allow her pride to die in vain. It pained her to leave Scar there without avenging him – or even burying him – but she couldn't lead her pride to a useless death. Also, she remembered Scar's words "Save your cubs!" and if they all died in battle, there was no chance of that.

So, she made a short signal to her pride. Somehow, all of them understood that Zira herself didn't want to do it – neither then wanted. Now, besides the drought, there was another kind of hell. A lion who had just returned, killed their king, proclaimed the land to be his, and thanks to Pridelanders plots! It was obvious for them all that the thing hated the most by Zira was to give the retreating order – as it was terrible for them to obey. But now, it was their only option – because dying in vain wasn't a valid choice. So, the Golden Pride began slowly retreating, with Zira closing the line to make sure that nobody stayed behind. But, before leaving, Zira said: "Simba, you will be sorry. You will pay for this, I swear! I will depose you, usurper, or die trying! Be prepared!"

And so, she finally left after her pride. Strangely, as she left the scene, it began raining. The fire was still growing, but the water was consuming the flames, cooling the temperature down, and everything seemed to return to normal. Simba turned to the lioness, and asked: "Who are you? I don't remember you. But you look familiar..."

She had some traits well-known to him. Could she be… no, that was impossible… but…

"This is your sister, Shani." said Tojo.

"I have a sister?" asked Simba, surprised.

"Looks like the answer is yes." said Shani.

"Well… nice to meet you." said Simba, nuzzling her.

Shani retributed the nuzzling, but she thought: "I don't know if I can say exactly the same. I admit that I wanted to meet you… but not in this way! Why you had to drive Kisasian away? What will happen to him out there?"

But soon, Simba stopped the nuzzling, and went back to the other side of Pride Rock. In his way, he found Zazu, who bowed at him. Then he passed through Sarafina, who smiled at him, and he smiled back. Several other lionesses passed through him, but the young king went right to his mother, and nuzzled her. Then, he nuzzled Nala, his mate. But then, they heard a well-known sound.

Looking backwards, Simba saw Rafiki waving his stick, pointing to the tip of Pride Rock. He knew what had to be done, and began walking to the mandrill. But first ,he had to thank to other special friends.

As he was walking to Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa came close to him. He smiled at them, as his adopted parents bowed to him.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys." said Simba, hugging them.

Then, he released them, and walked to Rafiki. He also hugged him, and Rafiki retributed, before saying: "It is time."

Simba began marching to the tip of Pride Rock, as everyone down there – Pridelanders, Malka's pride, Ni's pack, Tojo's birds, Timon, Pumbaa, Ma, Uncle Max, Rafiki, and Zazu watched him.

"That's our boy." said Pumbaa proudly.

"Ohh... I promised myself I wasn't gonna cry." said Timon on the edge of tears, before breaking into sobs.

Meanwhile, Mega was staring at the young lion going to the end of Pride Rock… to assume the throne.

"Well, that should make Ahadi satisfied." thought Mega bitterly. "Mufasa's son will be the king now. But… why did I have to let my hatred to control me? As much as those hyenas deserved what happened to them, Scar didn't! And Golden Ones… Golden Ones! What might happen to them? Oh… could the difference between their life and their death having been decided by my intervention? If at least I could do something to mend my mistake…"

On the tip of Pride Rock, Simba looked at the sky. One small gap appeared in the middle of the clouds, and Mufasa's voice told: "Remember."

Simba knew what he had to do. He roared. His pride roared back. He roared again. Uncle Max smiled broadly, as Ma beamed. The three meerkats and Pumbaa shared a look.

"You've really come a long way, Timon." said Ma, impressed. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I found a place that was beyond my wildest dreams. But... it still wasn't home." said Timon, taking his mother's hand. "Let's go home, Ma."

After a short break, he added: "Get our colony, and I'll show you the way. I think you may use the tunnels that you already dug."

But, after a short talking, they decided that the best would be if the four went together. So, the quartet just stood there, looking at Simba.

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_Well... what did you think? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	67. Chapter 66: The lost lionesses

_Well, here it is another chapter. Simba is king... Scar is dead... Golden Pride is away from Pride Rock... but the story is not over. It's end is coming... but there are some small matters to solve. Well, this chapter features another of my original songs... and I hope you find it acceptable. Just one last thing, that I thought I should remember you. Malkha is the Hebrew word for queen, and it's not to be confused with Malka, the name of the male cub seen in the comic "Simba's new brother". Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 66 – The lost lionesses**

But there was one stray lioness who escaped to the exile of Golden Pride. At least, to it's first attempt. Shakisa arrived to Pride Rock shortly after Simba proclaiming his kingship, hoping to find her pride there, with the mutiny of hyenas and Pridelanders stopped. But instead, she just saw Pridelanders surrouding a strange lion that she had never seen before. What could have happened? Where was her pride?

She came to Simba, placed Yakta on the ground, and looked on the lion's eyes with a silent question on her face. Just then, she was noticed by Pridelanders.

"She!" screamed Sarabi furiously. "She is Scar's servant! Ki…"

But on the last moment she repressed her anger… partially, and shouted instead: "Banish her!"

"Banish her!" added Sarafina.

"Banish her!" shouted Nala.

Simba was still shocked after the fight and coronation. He thought: "Why should I banish that poor lioness? She may be Scar's servant… but she has a cub… she's tired… what should I do? I want another opinion."

He turned to his left, and asked: "Tojo?"

Tojo was thinking many different things about the current situation.

"You killed your king! You killed your father!" shouted one voice inside his head. "Do you want to kill this lioness as well?"

But another voice shouted, even louder: "They ruined your life with Scar! They are enemies! Now they are all enemies!"

Tojo raised his head, and looked at Simba, saying: "Banish her!"

"It had to be." thought Mega, looking at Simba gathering some members to escort the poor Shakisa to the northern border. "Simba's rule hasn't lasted for five minutes, and he already starts acting in the way that his father and grandfather would have. But can I exactly be considered better, if I don't even protect the king? Scar, not Simba, of course."

But Mega knew that now he had little to no chances of mending his mistake.

In a short moment, Simba selected a small group to lead Shakisa to the border with Mighty Jungle, but then he had one more important thing to do. To greet his guests in a more official way. He went to Malka's pride and Ni's pack.

"Well…" said Simba, very hesitantly. "I don't exactly know how to express my gratefulness towards you. I know I should deliver you a generous meal, but unfortunately, in this state of drought, there is little I can offer you. Pride Lands haven't yet recovered enough of that dammed tyrant and those hyenas actions. If you wait a day or two, herds will eventually return, but…"

"I don't think that will be a problem." said Karimu. "There is a fat warthog right down there, accompanied by three meerkats."

"NO, not them!" shouted Simba decisevely.

His pride and the visitors looked on him strangely, until he explained himself: "Timon and Pumbaa – the meerkat with red hair and the warthog – took care of me during the last four years. In a way, they are my adopted parents."

Every lion there – even Sakia, who was currently crying inside – gasped in surprise. But then, Sarabi walked to them, and said: "Well, if what my son said is true, then I should thank you two."

"No problem." said Timon.

"It was nice." said Pumbaa.

"Anyway, we didn't come here to get any meal." replied Malka to Simba. "We came here to help you."

"And you don't have to pay us for that." said Ni.

Nala looked on him, and said, seemingly a little bit annoyed: "Ni, I told you that we didn't need any help…"

"Yet it was useful, wasn't it?" asked Joe, interrupting her. "Well… what will we do now?"

"Well… I think we could return." replied Ni. "Or rest a little bit before going."

"Stay here for some time." said Simba. "When you're ready to leave, feel free to do it. If you want to stay… feel free the same way."

Then, he turned to Malka, and asked: "But, if you allow me one question… how did you know that we needed help?"

"Well…" began Malka. "We were tranquilly on our homeland… when Tojo's birds appeared, some hours ago, warning us that you needed help. They told about Scar's tyranny… the hyenas… his lion followers… and we came to help you. After all, you also helped us."

"Wasn't it dangerous to leave your homeland abandoned?" asked Simba worriedly.

"Don't worry about that." said Malka. "It isn't abandoned. My dad stayed there with seven lionesses and Mfoko. And I came with six lionesses, my mom, and Jiwe."

"Jiwe?" asked Simba, confused. "Who is Jiwe?"

"I am." said a voice.

Simba looked at the one who had spoken. It was the other lion from Malka's group, who seemed about ten years old. He had golden fur, and sandy mane. The strange trait on him, though, was that he had brown, leopard like spots. But still… he was a lion, and had come to thank him.

"So, you are Simba…" said Jiwe, looking at Simba right in the eyes. "Prince Malka and Prince Mfoko – mainly Prince Malka, since he knows you better – have told many good things about you."

After a second, more detailed look at Simba, he added: "I hope that the judgement of my princes wasn't made in a hurry."

"Jiwe!" said Sura, looking at him. "That was rude."

"Sorry, my lady." said Jiwe, bowing at her quickly.

Sura turned back to Simba, and said: "Well, Simba… you have grown quite a lot since I last saw a you… I hope you become a good king. But I'm confident that you will."

"Thank you." said Simba, nodding at Sura.

Still, he was beginning to feel uncomfortable. It seemed that everyone had great expectations for him… but Simba wasn't sure that he'd manage to be at that level.

"Well…" said Malka, resuming the talking. "It's great to see that you're still alive. And, in case you need, my pride will always be ready to help you."

Simba thanked Malka again, and then he turned to Ni's pack.

"What about you?" he asked. "How does it come that you are here?"

"Well…" began Ni. "Some time before Nala found you, she was with me and my pack. She told us about the problem, we offered to help her… but she refused. In spite of that, I told Karimu to follow her, tell me if Nala would go back to the Pride Lands… and here we are."

Simba once again thanked Ni's pack. But he still didn't know about how to pay back, other than offering them food. He turned to Pridelanders, and said: "Well, if any of you is fresh enough, I would thank you if you tried to get some meal for us and our guests. I won't force anyone, but if there are any volunteers…"

Nala soon offered to go, alongside Tojo, and shortly almost all the pride members that had stayed there were ready to go on the hunt. Only Sarabi, Sakia, Mega, and Uzuri stayed behind with the visitors, because even Simba decided to follow the hunting team. Timon and Pumbaa had decided to go with Ma and Uncle Max to get the meerkat colony. Instead of going through tunnels – because Ma wisely said that they should be flooded with rain – they decided to go on Pumbaa's back, and quickly, before the Border River got too full. Simba warned them about the potential dangers of going out alone – they could find Scar's followers – but, with that, Timon only grabbed the warthog's tail with a grin.

"Well, then I may trust you." said Simba. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"We can take care of ourselves." said Timon.

Simba wasn't as sure of that, but he stayed silent, as he left with his hunting team, as Pumbaa speeded up north with three meerkats on his back.

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Uzuri went to the cave, to take care of the youngest Pridelander – Hawaa. As the only Pridelander cub, she had stayed on Pride Rock, as Kilia refused Zira's proposition to take her to the Cub's Sanctuary.

"Fortunately!" thought Uzuri. "Now they would have a hostage! But… what have I done? Simba has already exiled them… and I did nothing! I didn't stop them from exiling my daughter… no, she's not my daughter, she's just Arista's daughter. But I love him… I don't love him! He's a close friend… oh, whatever, I can't also leave Sakia. I have to look after her. Zira has her pride to protect her, she will be safe… no, she won't, if Simba decides to hunt them down! No, for now he has more important priorities. I just hope Zira and Golden Pride manage to escape before that. Oh… I'm lost… what can I do?"

Even very unsure of her decision, Uzuri stayed on Priderock with Hawaa, like she had been asked to. Besides her mother, Uzuri was Hawaa's favourite Pridelander, and she often called her "grandma".

"Grandma." called Hawaa to the tired old lioness. "What happened? Where are everyobody? Mommy only said she went on hunting, but what happened to aunt Zira and Nuka? Rain came, so he doesn't have to stay on that sanctuary anymore… aunt Zira said they would be back when rain came…"

"Aunt Zira?" thought Uzuri, confused. "Well… in a way, Zira is her aunt, but I don't recall any Pridelander cub feeling close enough to her to call her that. And she wants Nuka… how to tell her all of this situation?"

In an attempt to buy some time and think calmly, Uzuri placed the small cub on her paws and started cleaning her.

"Grandma!" said Hawaa. "I'm clean already! I want to play with Nuka."

"You probably will." said Uzuri. "Eventually."

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Meanwhile, Sarabi walked to another part of Priderock under the heavy rain. To the place where "he" was. Her ex-king. The lion that she once wanted to be her mate. When she arrived there, she could barely believe the sight. Several pieces of meat seemed to have been totally bitten off, his whole fur was bloody, flesh seemed to barely connect with bone, and his face had some cuts. However, the most obvious one was the cut on his left eye, that had made his long-healed wound to bleed again.

Sarabi lied down next to him. Now, he finally was there. The lion that once wanted to be her mate He was also the lion that had ruined her life, by causing the death of her mate and almost killing her son. But then, she remembered their relationship when they were younger – how much Scar had loved her, and how unappreaciated he had been by most – specially for her.

And now, seeing him dead, at the actions of her son and herself combined, Sarabi could do nothing but think: "Why it had happened like that?"

The lioness came closer to the dead lion, and gently wrapped her paws around his mane.

"Scar…" she managed to say, after a moment of silence. "Sorry…"

/"Like that" song. Tune is very sad, and expresses some regret. Sarabi is still with Scar's dead body, as rain falls on them both./

First verse:

_After so much time I succeeded_

_Now I finally reached my goal_

_But I also managed to lead_

_A pain to my heart and soul_

/Sarabi licks Scar's face carefully, as if she is afraid of hurting him, in spite of Scar being dead. Then, she keeps singing, as rain becomes stronger./

_Now nothing can be undone_

_That is mainly what I regret_

_If not some things that I done_

_This wouldn't have come that_

/Some tears come out of Sarabi's eyes, and one falls directly on Scar's facial wound – the one where his mark used to be./

Chorus:

_And so why it came like that?_

_Maybe I'll never be able to say_

_But I know that I'm sorry_

_It's the last thing that I can say_

/Sarabi grabs Scar's body, and once again gently, fearing that Scar can be hurt even more, begins dragging him to a torrent./

_I know it won't change a thing_

_But I can do nothing more_

_Now I only manage to think_

_Why I had to begin this war?_

/Sarabi arrives to a place where the torrent seems to be deep enough for her taste, and places Scar's body on it. As the current drags him away, Sarabi watches it, crying. Camera zooms in Sarabi's eyes, before changing to one of her memories, she and Scar as younger. Scar had caught some flowers for her, and gave them to her. Sarabi smiles delighted./

Second verse:

_I forgot all our good moments_

_I ignored what you did for me_

/Change to another Sarabi's memory: she on her fight with Zira, where she took half of Zira's ear./

_I just focused on my hatred_

_And I ask: why that had to be?_

/Camera changes to another memory: her earlier talk with Scar, when Scar hit her. We see in some sort of slow motion picture of Scar hitting Sarabi./

_When you hit me, you paid back_

_What I have done to you before_

_Your mane was surely black_

_Maybe my heart was even more_

/Camera changes back to present time; with Scar's body floating on the torrent, now on Border River./

_Now I can't change the past_

_Now it is useless to regret_

_Now it is pointless to wonder_

_Why it all came like that_

/Scar's body beings being transported by the torrent at a higher speed."

Chorus:

_And so why it came like that?_

_Maybe I'll never be able to say_

_But I know that I'm sorry_

_It's the last thing that I can say_

/Camera changes to Sarabi, who is still looking somewhere. Some tears mixed with rain drops are on her eyes./

_I know it won't change a thing_

_But I can do nothing more_

_Now I only manage to think_

_Why I had to begin this war?_

/Camera changes it's perspective, and again we see Sarabi looking somewhere. Then, it changes to Scar's body being moved by the river. It disappears slowly behind the edge of the waterfall. Song finishes./

"Goodbye… Scar." whispered Sarabi, sobbing. "I know it is too late… but forgive me what I have done."

In a way, she didn't regret it, because now she had her son back with her. But why that had to come at such a terrible price?

"Oh, well." said Sarabi, sobbing. "I guess that doesn't matter. Now I should go away, before they discover my absence."

And so, Sarabi washed the tears from her eyes, and finally returned to Pride Rock. The rain was stopping.

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Some time later, Pridelanders had returned. Both the team that had banished Shakisa, leaving her on the Border with Mighty Jungle, and the hunting team, that had managed to get a zebra. It was a good signal – it meant herds were already returning to the Pridelands. Simba and Nala began portioning the meat for their pride and the guests. Nobody would get much, but it would be better than nothing. Kilia took her piece of meat, and went to the cave.

"I can take care of Hawaa now." said Kilia. "You may get your meal now, Uzuri."

"Thanks, my dear." replied the old lioness, walking away from the cave.

"What is it, mom?" asked Hawaa worriedly, when Kilia went to her. "Hunt seems over… but I can't see aunt Zira and mr. Scar…"

She came out of the cave and, seeing Malka's pride and Ni's pack, added: "And who are those visitors? King Scar's guests?"

Kilia placed her paw on her daughter's mouth, preventing her of speaking further. Then, she grabbed Hawaa by the scruff, and took her to another part of Pride Rock. On the way, they passed through Simba and Nala, and Kilia bowed.

"Hi." said Hawaa to Simba. "I don't know you but maybe you know where aunt Zi…"

But she was forced to stop as her mother shook her hardly. Not too hardly, but enough to prevent her daughter of speaking further.

"Ow, mommy!" shouted Hawaa. "It hurts!"

Kilia took her daughter to the other side of Pride Rock, and entered Scar's cave.

"Isn't this a private chamber of King Scar and Aunt Zira?" asked Hawaa. "They may not want you coming inside…"

The lioness placed her daughter on the ground, and said: "Sorry, honey, but that had to be done. I must explain you some things."

She didn't actually how to explain the whole situation to a six months old cub, but it would possibly be a good idea to start by the beginning.

"Where he went?" asked Hawaa, confused.

"To a very distant place." said Kilia. Now that it had began, it was easier to keep going. "And queen Zira too. Hyenas also, most likely."

The pupils of the young cub's eyes extended, and Kilia noticed some tears.

"I can't believe it." said Hawaa, sobbing. "She went away and didn't say goodbye to me? NO! She wouldn't go without Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu!"

"They went with Zira." said Kilia, feeling some cold.

She never had an idea of how close her daughter was with those strangers.

"I WANT TO PLAY WITH NUKA!" shouted Hawaa, bursting in tears.

Kilia didn't know what to do, except hugging her daughter in an attempt to comfort , she got an idea.

"They had to go." said the lioness. "Scar did something wrong."

"I don't believe it!" said Hawaa, still crying. "He was so good to us! But even so… aunt Zira and Nuka not! Why they had to…"

But then, the crucial question came to her mind. She asked: "How is that possible? Mr. Scar is our king and only he can punish someone…"

"We have a new king." said Kilia. "His name is Simba."

"I DON'T WANT SIMBA!" shouted Hawaa. "I WANT MR. SCAR, AUNT ZIRA, AND NUKA!"

"Hush… please…" said Kilia, licking her cub.

After about five minutes, Hawaa finally fell asleep. Kilia picked her by the scruff with her mouth and went away. Sakia could finally stand up.

The white lioness had been there all the time, hiding behind Scar's bed when Kilia and her daughter came. But, white she had been listening, she only wished to be brave enough to cry as well. Even a six months old cub was braver than her – brave enough to express her opinion.

"Oh, Scar…" thought Sakia. "You deserved more loyal subjects than I…"

She once again licked the bed of the dead king, and went out of the cave, before someone noticed her absence.

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And someone did notice her absence. Mega. Like Sakia, he had gone to a ledge very close to the back cave where Scar had lived, in an attempt to show some respect for the fallen king. But, as he heard Hawaa's complaining… he just wanted to complain of himself. For having been vengeance-thirsty when he controlled the hyenas, and not letting his reason to dominate his mind. If he did, maybe a lot of things would be different. Scar would be alive… with enough luck, maybe even Simba also would… everything would be solved… peacefully. But now… just hatred and more hatred. As if hatred was a monster that grew up continuously.

"Hawaa was brave enough to want to have her friend." thought Mega. "I should have been brave enough to put some order in this pride. Because this is a pride… not a rogue pack."

On that moment, Mega turned back, and, by casuality, he saw Sakia coming out of Scar's cave. He hid quickly, hoping that the white lioness wouldn't see him. Fortunately, she didn't.

"So… I'm not the only one remorseful." thought Mega. "If there are enough members remorseful, maybe we could establish some peaceful solution to all of this."

Mega decided to follow Sakia, before his absence was noticed as well.

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"What now?" asked Sarabi to Sarafina, Nala, Tojo, and Shani.

Almost all the Pridelanders had gone to rest, followed by Ni's pack and Malka's group, but they were still waken up, with Simba.

"What do you mean by that, mom?" asked Shani.

"I mean… what about Golden Ones?" explained Sarabi. "What will they do when they return and find out that their king is dead and Simba is ruler now?"

"They already found out." said Tojo.

Sarabi, Sarafina and Nala looked on him with amazement, as the young lion replied: "Oh, they ran away. When they were about to attack, Malka's group and Ni's pack came to our help. And Golden Ones aren't crazy. At least not THAT crazy."

"But what about now?" asked Sarafina. "I mean… Zira will surely lead them to avenge Scar."

"And so what?" asked Nala. "We are more numerous than her pride… we can crush them if they return."

"Maybe." said Sarabi. "But I still think that we should find some way to neutralize them. Shani, go to speak with Simba."

"Why me?" asked Shani. She added in thought: "You want me to suggest my brother to kill Kisasian's pride, and Kisasian himself? I can't do that. But… I must."

"Because you must know your big brother better." said Sarabi. "After all… he's your brother."

Shani wasn't so convinced of how much she actually wanted to meet her brother, but she went anyway. Simba was still woken up, trying to find out something unusual on his domain before going to sleep, when he heard Shani coming to him.

"Hi, Shani." said Simba.

"Hello… Simba." said Shani hesitantly.

The two stayed silent for some time. After all, they did not know exactly what to tell each other when they had never met before. Or, better to say, Shani knew, but she couldn't tell him that directly.

"Well…" began Shani. "I never thought that my brother would be still alive."

"At least you know you had a brother." said Simba. "I never knew I had a sister."

"Well…" said Shani. "So now we both have one new member in our family." said Shani.

The two giggled for a short moment, but when they stopped, Shani said: "Now… Simba… I am... worried."

"About what, Shani?" asked Simba with concerned voice.

"Well…" began the golden lioness. "Do you remember that pride, lead by Zira? I fear… that they might to back to avenge Scar… shouldn't we… do something about them?"

"Do something?" asked Simba, confused. "Do what? I mean… they aren't crazy. Pridelanders alone outnumber them, and now we have half of a pride and a pack visiting us. They won't come close."

"But Malka's group and Ni's pack won't be here forever." said Shani.

"Oh, look, Shani." said Simba. "They may have supported Scar, but they don't have the right to suffer because of his sins. If they are smart, they will go away. If they return… I'll give them a chance. If they don't accept… I'll be harder. But only if they don't accept. Look, now we're all tired, let's go to sleep. Tomorrow we will think better about that."

"Well…" thought Shani. "You at least aren't willing to hurt Kisasian. I believe I may thank you for that."

But she only replied, in the middle of a yawn: "You're right. Let's go to sleep."

Shani gave Simba's answer to Sarabi and the others. They didn't seem too satisfied, but didn't speak, and accepted Simba's suggestion. Simba just looked at his kingdom one last time, and then returned to the cave wearily. Becoming king had been easy. At least compared with being king.

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Scar felt his body floating somewhere. He knew he was dead… but suffering hadn't stopped. At least mental one. He was being tormented with pictures of Zira and her cubs dying. He felt his responsibility for those that he had left on Earth.

"I failed…" said Scar, sobbing.

"You didn't." replied one voice.

Scar quickly raised his head and looked around. He had heard it clearly, but nobody was seen.

"Don't speak." said the voice. "I will come to you. You are shocked by all of this… I will help you. You are coming to the sky."

"I?" asked Scar sarcastically. "Who failed my pride and family?"

"You saved them." said the voice. "Simba also did. Don't ask me why, but somehow his return and the end of your reign were necessary for the drought to end. But you died as a hero, trying to save your subjects. You will be a bright star."

"Zira…" whispered Scar, opening his eyes.

But those weren't eyes. He understood that his body seemed to be made of light. He wasn't seeing anything, because it was dark. This was because night had come.

"I'm here." said one voice, and then, one lion ghost appeared in front of him. It was familiar to Scar… his voice… his black mane… and his golden fur… he was…

"Father?" asked Scar, confused.

"No, Taka." replied the other lion with gentle voice. "I am Ajizi, father of Ahadi, so your and Mufasa's grandfather, current Sky Arbitrer, and your patron here."

Before his grandson could ask, Ajizi added: "Don't ask too much, Taka. Your answers will eventually come. Mainly… it was all my fault. That's the first thing you have the right to know. If I had explained Ahadi a lot of things… if I had been a better father… maybe this wouldn't be happening."

"Why do you call me Taka?" asked Scar, eventhough he didn't exactly cared about that.

Somehow, in spite he knew his other grandfather for about a minute, he already felt he could at least get some support from him.

"If you prefer to be called Scar…" said Ajizi. "But Taka is your real name… and names don't have to mean a thing."

"I would prefer if you still called me Taka." said Scar. "But… don't spread that through our family… mom! Mufasa! Where are they? Zira! Simba will…"

"Calm down, Taka!" said Ajizi. "Right… listen, as Sky-Arbitrer, I can't interfere on the world below. Many other Ancient Ones can, but you can't see them. You can only see me, because I am your patron. You maybe would be able to interfere, but… no offense meant… you are new around here."

"That's obvious." said Scar with painful voice.

"But I know someone who may help Zira." said Ajizi. "You should not be seeing her… but in this case, I open an exception, because I want you to be more relaxed."

As he said that, the ghost of a lioness appeared right in front of him. That lioness looked almost like Zira, but had much heavier physical building – probably result of a proper feeding during her growth, which Zira never had – light-grey fur, a grey-dorsal stripe instead of brown, and blue eyes.

"Taka...." said Ajizi. "This one is Malkha, Zira's mother."

"I know you well." replied the other lioness gently. "You are Scar… and I thank you just now for having protected my daughter so many times..."

"What does it serve now?"asked Scar. "I can't protect them now."

"But she can." said Ajizi.

He added to Malkha: "I know you would do it without me asking it, but I had to leave my grandson more relaxed before he did some stupidity."

Malkha nodded, and went away. Ajizi turned to his grandson, and said: "Now, she will try to guard your mate and cubs in the best possible way. You… may just sit and watch. Sorry, but it's the way of life… or better to say: of death!"

Scar just collapsed to the un-existent ground. Being dead was much harder than he first thought.

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_Well... what did you think? Review, please! I still need opinions!_


	68. Chapter 67: Floating logs

_Well... here it comes a new chapter of this fanfic. It keeps going after what happened in the last chapter. Boma (male) is copyrighted to whoever wrote the book of "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" series titled "A Tale of Two Brothers". Kia (male) is copyrighted to the authors of a German audio tape titled "Fight for the Throne". I hope you enjoy this chapter. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 67 – Floating logs**

The exhausted Golden Pride arrived to the Cub's Sanctuary some time later. The cave was too small for the whole pride to fit there comfortably, but they had no other choice. They had to think on some emergency plan, before Pridelanders knew of their location. They were exhausted, but there was no time to rest currently. Pridelanders would surely hunt them down on the next morning, so they had one from two choices – run away as soon as possible, or make Pridelanders confused. But for now, she had to check if her cubs were safe.

When she entered the cave, she found out that Nuka was there, taking care of Vitani and Kovu. But they were the only present creatures. Shakisa and Yakta were nowhere to be found.

"Mom!" said Nuka, amazed, and running to nuzzle Zira.

Zira retributed the gesture, and did the same to Kovu and Vitani – but much more gently, because they were sleeping peacefully, seemingly completely unaware of the whole situation – what was perfectly normal for cubs only a month old.

"What happened, Nuka?" asked Zira worriedly. "Where is Shakisa?"

"She… went to Pride Rock to help you all…" said Nuka uncertainly. "And she took Yakta with her…"

"But…" said Zira hesitantly. "We didn't find her!"

And then, conclusion came to her: "She went to Pride Rock, with all those brute Pridelanders there!"

"She will be killed!" yelled Doria. "We must save her!"

"No…" said Zira forcefully. "She won't be killed… Uzuri wouldn't allow it. I'm sure of that."

"I'm also sure of that." said Rama. "But I doubt Uzuri could do anything against Simba and other Pridelanders keeping her imprisioned."

"So we actually must save her!" added Vii.

"But not now." said Zira. "We can't save her, if we aren't even able of saving ourselves. I doubt that the visiting lions will be around for long, but we can't do anything with them there. For now, we must think about a way of tricking Pridelanders, because we can't be here for long. And if we stay, Pridelanders will come here – they know where the sanctuary is. So for now we will just try to rest a little bit, and tomorrow we must divide in small groups. The objective will be trying to trick Pridelanders into where we are going. Each group will go to a different direction. Are you with me?"

The whole pride nodded, but Thela asked: "And after that, my lady?"

"After that… we will eventually think of a solution." replied the queen. "For now, just try to rest."

Because the Cub's Sanctuary wasn't exactly comfortable, the whole pride lied down outside the cave, except Nuka, Vitani and Kovu, who stayed inside. But nobody actually managed to sleep well. Zira in particular stayed woken up for the whole night, looking at the heavy clouds that covered the stars. From time to time, she looked around in an attempt of spotting intruders, but not even one was coming.

"Maybe you have enough now, Simba?" asked Zira in mind. "You were such a gifted and nice cub… what happened to you? You turned just like Mufasa and Ahadi… Oh Scar! What can we do without you?"

Eventhough her whole pride was there, Zira felt completely alone without her mate's presence.

"Scar, my beloved…" said Zira to an unseen auditor. "As much as I love you, I crave for revenge.

She couldn't hear her mate trying to say that he didn't want revenge, only Zira and her cubs to live in peace. But clouds on the sky and on the queen's heart seemed to block the message.

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The next morning came quickly – at least much faster than Simba hoped to. When he opened his eyes at sunrise, he looked around to understand that he wasn't anymore on Hakuna Matata with Timon and Pumbaa, but on Pride Rock, rulling his father's pride. So, something had to be done. A king hadn't a relaxed life, like Simba used to have on Hakuna Matata. So, he had to do something. Namely, solve his pride's problems.

And now that he thought of it, Shani had mentioned him a problem on the previous day… but what was it? Simba's weary mind was unable to recall it.

"Oh, yes, Zira's pride!" thought Simba, when he woke up. "Let's see… what to do now? They are probably tired… I shouldn't disrupt their sleep…"

In an attempt to think better, Simba gently woke up Nala. His mate opened her eyes very slowly, and asked: "What is it, Simba?"

"Nala… could you help me?" asked Simba. "I have a small problem… I mean… yesterday Shani mentioned about problem of the pride lead by Zira. Golden Pride, or something like that… whatever, what can we do in that? Besides, how they got to support Scar?"

Nala thought for some time. Simba was asking too much questions for her taste. But at least he was willing to deffinetely solve problem of Golden Ones. Nala gave the only real answer that she could give: "They are Zira's original pride. When Scar became king, Zira became his queen, and Golden Pride came from the desert after the beginning of the Great Drought. But the problem is that they support Scar with all their hearts, each one of them. And they are likely to retake Pride Rock."

"Well then…" said Simba. "Please… began waking up Pridelanders… and Malka's pride and Ni's pack, if you want to. But try not to wake up some of them… specially Kilia and her daughter… what is her name?"

"Hawaa." replied Nala. "But you could…"

"I'm trying not to wake up that cub." said Simba. "She is young, she needs her sleep."

Nala sighed deeply, and she slowly began waking up the lions and lionesses sleeping on the cave. When they were all – except Kilia and Hawaa, who were still sleeping, and Uzuri, who stayed on the cave to explain everything to Kilia when she woke up - gathered under Pride Rock, Simba began the plan.

"Well, Nala…" began Simba. "Do you know where they are going?"

"I do have an idea." said Nala. "But during the night, they probably already got there, so we don't know where they can be. They might have gone anywhere. But we are in better conditions after our meal, while they are tired after reconnaissance, and probably didn't get any food. So, we should divide into two groups."

And so it happened. Pridelanders went to scout the eastern area, while Mountainlanders when to scout the western area. Ni's pack was divided by the two groups. Zazu, Karimu, and Tojo's birds would be used to keep the communication between the two groups. The hunt was on.

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After almost a whole day of scouting, Nala was honestly beginning to get afraid of the whole scene. Her pride – joined by Ni and Vumbi was more numerous that Golden Ones were, but the time difference wasn't that obvious. And, on that dark night, there was the possibility of Pridelanders being attacked by Golden Pride and wiped out almost without realizing.

"And Golden Ones are very well fitting to the role of going on an instant vengeance!" thought Nala, terrified. "Specially walking with Zira leading them! They are loyal to Zira… and she loves Scar! She may want to avenge him! And on that stormy night, she may perfectly appear and wipe us out!"

Maybe Nala's imagination was working a little bit too much on that point – but the night was indeed dark, because the thick clouds covered the stars and the moon. Besides, there was a scary environment – heavy rain falling from the sky, and lighting coming almost from time to time. Always that some lighting appeared, it was easy for every branch, tree, rock, and things like that to become the scariest monster – specially because they were seen only for a fraction of second.

Another problem that she was facing was Simba's constant questions about Golden Ones. Nala managed to avoid that with dry answers – quite strange in such a wet environment – but she didn't know for how long her mate would allow himself to be convinced.

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Zira, however, was in even worse condition. As she and some members of her pride wandered through the rainy savannah, she actually wondered if it had been actually for the best to separate the pride.

Like that, there was much more possibilities of managing to trick both prides into where they were going, but they were also at a much bigger disadvantage. Even alone, Golden Pride wouldn't stand a chance against Pridelanders, Mountainlandrs, and Ni's pack all together, so separated into groups, they were in much more danger. But it was necessary to drive them away from the cubs.

"Oh… Scar…" thought Zira, shortly after recovering some calm after mistaking a rock for an intruding lion, when lighting crashed. "I only wish you were here to guide us…"

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But the hunt was totally unsuccessful. After two days, each one of the patrols only saw a few Golden Ones, almost getting one lion with white fur and grey mane, and two lionesses, one looking very much like Zira, and another with pale-grey fur. But even they managed to slip from the ambush.

"It's useless!" said Simba angrily. "Let's go back!"

Currently the savannah was wet, so running through it was hard. That was mainly why Simba decided to stop the searching. But it was also because he got tired with the constant tracking. Now, he just wished to rest, before returning with Nala – and maybe Timon and Pumbaa – to Hakuna Matata.

"Are you sure?" asked Nala uncertainly.

"I am, my dear." replied Simba. "I don't know exactly what those Goldenlanders did to you, but if they return, I will teach them to respect my father's subjects."

"Yes, sure." said Tojo.

So, Simba sent Zazu to tell Malka's lions that the hunt was over. But not everybody regretted it.

"At least Kisasian is safe for now!" thought Shani, as she followed Simba back to Pride Rock.

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Nuka was lying on the Cub's Sanctuary with Vitani and Kovu, but this time, they weren't sleeping. They had understood much about the whole situation, and, eventhough cubs only a month old were too young to be completely aware, they were as nervous as the adult members of the pride, who had gone for a hunt. For the moment, that was the only possible thing to do. After being almost sure that Pridelanders had been tricked by their strategy, they joined again on the Cub's Sanctuary, and after a short rest, they left again.

The only adult lioness there was Rama, guarding Zira's cubs. But she was so silent that the cubs thought she was afraid of something.

"Why are you so quiet?" asked Kovu, whispering.

"They can't hear us!" whispered Rama.

Kovu decided he couldn't worry with who were "they" so he forgot it. But Vitani came with another question: "Where's mommy?"

"She went to look for food." said Rama.

"Won't we return to Pride Rock?" asked Nuka.

"Maybe we will." said Rama. "Eventually. But not now."

"But…" began Nuka. "We must go for Hawaa and Yakta! We can't leave them with those brutes who killed daddy!"

Nuka burst in tears. Kovu and Vitani also cried a little bit, but in a more silent way.

"Hush!" said Rama. "They are coming!"

Nuka became silent. Rama cuddled the three cubs, and then she said: "You must be quiet. We will eventually save Hawaa and Yakta. But for now, you must be brave and silent, OK?"

Nuka hugged Rama's paw hard, but soon he fell asleep. Kovu and Vitani did the same shortly after. The lioness sighed, but some troubling problems came to her.

"Stars!" she prayed. "Great Kings of the Past… Ancient Ones…. please, help us!"

Malkha's ghost was standing close by, unseen, but perfectly aware of the whole situation.

"It's easy to say, Rama." said Malkha, supporting the lioness's head. "But harder to do. Help would eventually be welcome."

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Golden Pride was ready to go back to Cub's Sanctuary at sunset. They had been washed by another rain, but some potential preys came to their paws. Two wildebeests. It wasn't too much, but it was another confirmation that the herds would return to the Pride Lands, and they sounded delicious after months of rationing the food. In fact, the hunt in itself had been easy. Golden Ones managed to find the preys – a buffalo accompanied by two wildebeests, enjoying the water. They were so distracted that they completely failed to hear the coming predators. They separated into three groups, and, as two smaller groups attacked the wildebeests, almost the whole pride came to the buffalo.

But the bovid wasn't as small as wildebeests, and he also seemed surprisingly full of energy, even after the Great Drought. Because Golden Ones were tired, and the two wildebeests had been caught, they decided to leave the buffalo go. Besides, hunting the large bovid was dangerous. One of his kicks could break a lion's neck, and one slash with his horns could rip off a lion's belly or throat.

As the lions carried their preys for the Cub's Sanctuary, the buffalo just ran away as far as possible, and only stopped after being actually out of his breath.

"Hello, Boma." said a voice, startling the buffalo so much that his heart almost jumped out of his chest.

Boma looked around, and saw the one that had spoken to him. It had been Kia, an old and massive massive white elephant with long tusks, who was reported as one of the oldest and wisest animals on the Pride Lands. He was also one of the few animals that had stayed on the Pride Lands during the Great Drought. But Boma didn't like the elephant very much. He always managed to keep his calm, in opposition to the buffalo's quick temper.

"What happened to you?" asked Kia with worried voice. "Have you fought lions?"

"Yes." said Boma. "That Golden Pride is still on the Pride Lands."

Kia seemed clearly surprised. He wasn't expecting that the Golden Pride would be still around. Not that it truly mattered to him… after all, Kia was so large that any animal – apart from an elephant of a close size – would have to be either very brave or very stupid to attack him. But still, the state of the land worried him.

"I wonder what will come from this." said Kia with worried voice. "From what I know, the Golden Pride is loyal to Zira… but Pridelanders are loyal to Simba… this can't mean happy times for the Pride Lands.

"The Pride Lands are getting worst as time passes!" snorted the buffalo. "First, Scar is the king, invites hyenas and a pride to live with him. It's a miracle that the Pride Lands are still able to live on. But now, Simba killed Scar, and, if rumors are true, he invited a whole pride and a pack to live here!"

"That's bad." admitted Kia. "The Pridelands can't stand three prides and a pack living together. At least not in these conditions. I wonder if the best wouldn't be to leave, before they cause extinction of the whole herds and themselves."

"Simba's return didn't bring glory, it only brought chaos!" snorted Boma.

Kia thought that Boma could possibly be a little bit pessimistic. Or maybe it were simply his feelings towards the royal family of the Pride Lands that made him to speak like that. But still, he agreed with the buffalo – at least partially. Simba's return could have settled some matters… but it left even more unsettled.

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Golden Ones had a quick meal on the Cub's Sanctuary, before they left north, to the Outlands, through Border River. It was the only place where Simba wouldn't risk to search for them. But they had to be quick. If the meerkat and the warthog were indeed the king's adopted parents, they could give him information about the location of Golden Ones.

So, Golden Ones just left to Border River, with Arista carrying Kovu, Dhalimu carrying Vitani, and Kisasian carrying Nuka.

But night was coming fast, and before they got to the river, it was dark. Zira, who was on the lead, advanced first, and placed her paw on the water.

"Damn!" she said. "It's strong… Much water flown from the savannah through here… how will we get through?"

It was indeed fast and strong. The dry soil wasn't able to absorb too much water, so every path turned to small torrent that flown to Gorge River or to Border River. The water level increased rapidly.

"How will we get through?" asked Zira to herself. "I'm not sure…"

"What's the problem, mom?" asked Kisasian, after placing Nuka on the ground and advancing to check out the water.

When he took his paw out of the river, the price said: "I don't think there's a problem. Each adult can do it alone."

"Yes." said the queen. "But carrying Nuka… I'm not sure. Or even with lighter Vitani and Kovu."

Probably, the actual problem wasn't exactly the weight – each one of the females would likely carry either Nuka, Vitani, or Kovu to the other side. But, truth being told, they were desert lions, and they weren't as used to water as Pridelanders. That was most likely their biggest problem.

"There's no problem." said Kisasian. "I can carry Nuka safely to the other side. If he sits on my head and holds tight, it's unlikely that he will be dropped."

All the pride members looked on him with some mistrust. Kisasian was asking for a very big responsibility. But he said: "Trust me, please."

"Alright, Kisasian." said Zira uncertainly. "Your brother Nuka is at your responsibility. Take good care of him."

"I will." said Kisasian.

Kisasian's self-trust was possibly the result of being the lion there more used to water. Arista, Sparthi and Dhalimu seemed less willing to follow Kisasian's example. Which was rather understantable – it wasn't as easy to swim with a soaked mane and carrying a cub. Kisasian was relatively used to water, but Zira knew that her whole pride – and even herself – weren't as used as Kisasian was.

"But what about Vitani and Kovu?" asked Zira. "Who will take them?"

"Don't worry, my dear." said Arista.

Probably stimulated by his grandson's example – or maybe because he felt that a king – or a former king in that case – had to be brave, the old lion decided to assume the role of taking another cub. He estimated Vitani's weight, and said: "I can carry her without any problem. I would need a supporter, in case she falls, but the weight is no problem."

"I can support you." said Dhalimu. "But let's see… Hanja and Sparthi may go with Kovu."

The two lions were rather hesitant, but they knew that had to be done. The two males quivered a little bit – but it could be mistaken with a chill of cold.

Adia came closer to Kisasian, who would cross as first, and gently licked his cheek, saying: "Good luck, darling."

"Don't worry." said Kisasian, nuzzling Adia. "I can do it."

So, Kisasian lowered his head, and allowed Nuka to climb on it. Initially the young lion didn't want to hold tight because he was afraid of hurting his brother, but after seeing that Kisasian stood it, he held more tightly.

So, the lion entered the river with the cub on his head, and began swimming without problems. The effort was draining out his strength quickly, but Kisasian measured the distance carefully, so he passed without any problems. He arrived to the other bank exhausted, but he carefully placed Nuka on the ground.

"Are you alright?" asked Kisasian tiredly.

"Yes." said Nuka.

Kisasian turned to the other side, and called: "Right! We made it! Now, grandpa can come with Vitani!"

So, Arista carefully entered the water, holding his granddaughter, while Dhalimu swam further below to grab the cub if she was lost. But they did it in a much slower and more careful way than Kisasian. It was relatively obvious that they were a little bit scared, but they tried to control his fear – specially Arista, who couldn't risk to drop his granddaughter – what would be more likely to happen with his teeth shivering. But, in spite of the two lions being slightly more tired than Kisasian when they got to the Outlands bank, they also made it lightly.

Finally, Sparthi and Hanja entered the water, with the first carrying Kovu. Probably stimulated by the example of the first three lions – and seeing that nothing happened to them, they entered the river much more confidently. They made it to half of the river without troubles, but then, Kisasian noticed something strange floating on the river. Those things were moving fast. It were…

"LOGS!" screamed Kisasian scaredly. "Those logs are closing!"

Sparthi was focused on carrying his nephew, so he ignored his older nephew's call. But Hanja understood it, and in some fast moves he swam up-river, serving as a shield between the golden lion and the logs. Arista entered the water to replace Hanja and Kisasian, ready for help, began going east. But it was too late.

The first log hit Hanja on the head, and the shocked lion submerged. He appeared on the next second, but, driven by some kind of impulse, he grabbed the first log, being taken away from Sparthi.

Sparthi was having own troubles. Several logs were floating next to him and only thanks to his agility he was able to dodge them. But Kovu was getting in panic. Sparthi grabbed him with one paw, but this was a serious mistake. Another log hit him on his forehead, and the knocked out lion let his nephew go.

"KOVU!" screamed the terrified Zira, jumping to the river.

Kisasian was still too far from his drowning brother to get there on time. She, as a lighter lioness, had a chance to get there faster. Meanwhile, Arista had grabbed his son, while Hanja recovered, and the three swam to the Outlands.

"Run down!" ordered Rama, so most of the pride – except those who were already swimming through the river – ran to their queen and heir. The terrain on the Pride Lands was relatively open, so they could run faster than the river.

But meanwhile, the light Kovu was being taken away by the current surprisingly quickly, next to the waterfall. The current was also helping Zira, but suddenly, the logs appeared, and several of them almost hit Zira. The lioness was able to dodge them, but those few seconds of hesitation made the distance between her and Kovu to increase. And they were closing the waterfall. If she didn't get to her son fast, both he and she would die. But there was nothing that she could do, except trying to swim faster. Only then, Zira realized that she had done so much effort that she was almost drowning as well.

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"Do something!" said Scar's ghost to Ajizi and Malkha, while the three stood on the waterfall's edge.

"Calm down, Taka." said Ajizi trustfully.

"CALM DOWN?" asked Scar, shouting. "HOW CAN YOU TELL ME THAT? ZIRA AND KOVU WILL DIE? MALKHA, DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOUR DAUGHTER, PLEASE!"

"If we were half of the sure that would drowning that you are, we wouldn't be this calm." said Malkha.

"What do you mean?" inquired Scar, totally lost.

"You'll see." said Ajizi, as the three looked to the river.

Scar could do anything but do as he was told.

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Zira was swimming as quickly as she could, but suddenly, the last remmant of her strength came out of her, as Kovu seemed to get even further. There was nothing she could do.

But suddenly, the water under her son seemed to explode. The sight scared Zira so much that she almost gained strength to swim again. When the water disappeared, she could see that a huge crocodile's head was on the place where Kovu had been before. The crocodile had just eaten her son! And it was…

"Tanin!" gasped Zira. "How coud you…"

But she didn't have enough breath to keep the question. However, it seemed that it wasn't necessary, because the crocodile used his long tail to block Zira's certain fall to the waterfall.

"Hold tight." hissed the massive reptile to Zira almost without moving his jaws, using his tail to push Zira to his back.

The surprised lioness could do anything but what she was told, as the huge crocodile swam against the corrent, to the place where some of her pride mates already were. The reptile was much bigger than Zira, and was also better built for swimming, so in rather short time he could get to save ground. The half-drowned Zira released his back, falling on sand. Then, Tanin opened his mouth, and Kovu – surely soaked, but with nothing worst – jumped out of his mouth.

Then, the crocodile turned to Zira, opened his jaws, and closed them around the lioness's head. Kisasian gasped, but surprisingly, Tanin began making mouth to mouth to Zira. All the pride was already on the Outlands bank. Seeing that Zira still wasn't coming to life, Tanin carefully pressed her chest with his nose, and the lioness spat some water. After that, she got up, looking crazily around for Kovu, but she spotted him rubbing his head against her leg.

"Thank you, Tanin." said the lioness, bowing.

"You're welcome." replied the reptile. "But be more careful next time. I'm not sure if I'll be able to commit a second crime un-noticed."

"Crime?" asked Kisasian, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" said the crocodile. "Simba is king now, and he exiled you all. At least, that's what rumors say. I could be considered a criminal by helping outcasts."

The lions were so amazed that they didn't make a sound, and Tanin used the moment to get in the water, and disappear. Then, it was too late. There was the possibiliy of not seeing him again for about three hours.

Trying to break the freezing silence on the Golden Pride, Sparthi said: "Sis… I'm sorry that I dropped Kovu…"

"It was an accident." said Zira. "Nobody could predict those logs."

"Mommy!" said Nuka, pouncing on her. "I was so scared…"

"But now we are all right." said Zira. "And now, what we will do is to rest slightly further."

So, the pride got about a hundred metres further from the water, and shortly after they were all sleeping.

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"See?" asked Ajizi to Scar. "I told you there was no reason to worry about."

"Do you honestly think that if my daughter was in all the danger that you were portraying, I wouldn't have tried to save her?" asked Malkha.

Now that the things were calmer, Scar decided that his grandfather and mother in law were right, but some time ago, on a dangerous moment, it wasn't easy to keep a cool mind. But now, he could do it.

"What now?" asked Scar worriedly. "What next?"

"Well… we just have to wait until they wake up, Taka." said Ajizi.

Scar was getting annoyed with this waiting… but in fact there was nothing better to do.

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_Well... what did you think? Please, review! This story is almost ending, but I still need opinions._


	69. Chapter 68: Turn to the future

_Well... my dear readers, I have news that I consider as rather sad. Everything comes to an end. And so does this story. This is the last chapter. The epilogue will come soon... eventhough it may be not with the same speed that the other chapters came. Whatever, I hope that you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Chapter 68 – Turn to the future**

On the next morning, Simba was once again forced to wake up at sunrise – something he had not been used to since early cubhood. And even on those times, he liked to sleep a lot, and it was usual for him to sleep a little bit during the day. On Hakuna Matata, Simba could sleep any time he wanted to, but now, trapped to monarch duties, he rarely had time to fill in the lost hours of sleep.

And those had been many, specially because during the nights that he had been without sleeping when he and his pride looked for Golden Ones were very tiring. And yet, the desert pride had seemingly vanished. But Simba decided to take that for another time, specially when he saw who had just returned.

Timon and Pumbaa were in front of the cave, accompanied by a whole meerkat colony.

"Hi, Simba!" said Timon happily.

"Hi there!" added Pumbaa.

"Nice to see you, guys." said Simba, hugging Pumbaa and Timon. "Did you have any problems with the journey?"

"No." said Timon. "Not at all."

"Except one small problem on the return." added Pumbaa. "We had to pass through some sort of bridge made of logs. Everybody passed safely, but it seems that after the crossing, the water broke through the logs and carried them away."

"I see…" said Simba. "It's good you managed to pass through. And what about now?"

"Now…" answered Timon. "I and Pumbaa will take my family to Hakuna Matata… and then we'll come back here."

"Timon…" said Ma sadly.

"We've already talked about that, Ma." said Timon. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll ever truly adapt to living in a colony. I take you all there to pay you back for what I did, but I can't live with you again."

Ma sobbed a little bit, but she didn't speak further on that business. So, she only turned to Simba, and said: "Well… I never thought my first grandson would be a lion."

"And I never thought I'd have a meerkat for an adoptive grandmother." said Simba, chuckling. "Now… I will accompany you to Hakuna Matata…"

"What?" asked Timon.

"You can't leave your monarch duties!" said Pumbaa.

"Pumbaa…" said Timon. "Hakuna Matata means no worries! You're worrying Simba!"

"Hey, I'm not completely irresponsible!" said Simba. "Tonight, after my duties, I will go to Hakuna Matata with you, and I'll try to take the least possible time."

"What did you say?" asked one voice.

They all turned back, and saw Nala coming out of the cave. She had been there only for a moment, but it was enough to hear what Simba would do. But her mate calmed her down quickly, as he said: "No, Nala. I will just accompany Timon's colony to Hakuna Matata. I won't leave kingship again. Don't worry…"

But soon Simba worried himself, as Nala sat down, seemingly without breath.

"Nala!" shouted Simba, trying to support her. "What happened?"

"I…" began Nala. "I…"

But, before she could complete the sentence, she vommited. Simba felt completely disoriented.

"What happened, Nala?" asked Simba. "Where is Rafiki… where is Zazu? Where is that banana beak when I need him?"

"I'm here, sir." said Zazu, landing on Simba's shoulder.

He tried not to show offended when his king called him "banana beak", however the angry look on his eyes was obvious.

"You shouldn't call your majordomo banana beak Simba." said Sarabi, who was just coming out of the cave. "Apologize Zazu now."

"Mom!" said Simba annoyedly. "Do I…."

"Apologize." said Sarabi with stern and gentle voice at the same time.

Simba blushed until his face was blood-red. But he turned to the hornbill, and said: "Sorry, Zazu."

"No problem, sir." said the majordomo, but everyone noticed the triumphant look on his eyes. "Now, did you request my services?"

"I need you to call Rafiki." said Simba. "Nala is…"

"I'm not sick." said Nala, with voice slightly more firm than before.

"What did you say?" asked Simba disbeliefully, looking on her. "If you are not sick, why are you like that?"

"Because I'm pregnant." said Nala, smiling.

For some seconds, Simba was silent. He didn't actually know what to think. Nala got worried, and asked: "Simba… you're happy, right?"

"Yes!" said Simba joyfully.

Then, he pounced on Nala playfully – but trying to be gentle, for not to hurt her, and said: "I'm the happiest lion in the world!"

"Looks like my first great-grandchildren will be lions." said Ma.

Suddenly, one new voice sounded there.

"Simba…" said Malka, as he left the cave, accompanied by the lions of his pride that had come with him. "Well… seeing that you probably don't need us anymore… we are going away."

"What?" asked Simba, completely caught by surprise. "You don't need to go… you are welcome here…"

"Simba…" said Malka almost sadly. "Don't play with me. Your land is recovering as well as possible, my pride would only disturb the recovering process. Besides, with Golden Ones out of the way, I don't think you need us anymore."

"Well… alright." said Simba sadly. "But I will miss you. Whatever… remember that you are always free to return… and I say that the alliance my father made with your pride is still available… if you also wish to keep it."

"Yes, Simba." nodded Malka. "I still wish to keep it. Sorry, but I better go away before I get too touched by all of that stuff to stay here."

"Alright." said the goldenfurred lion, as Malka and his pride began going away. "But this time, try not to get lost!"

"Very funny…" said Malka ironically, as he left Pride Rock.

Just after that, Ni walked out of the cave, and said: "Uh… Simba… my pack and I are also ready to leave… you don't need us here anymore… and by the way, Nala, congratulations."

"Thanks, Ni." said Nala, smiling.

"But…" asked the confused Simba. "You are rogues… how can we find you again if we never need help, or simply want to visit you?"

"Don't worry, Simba." said Ni. "I can send Karimu here every month to report… if she doesn't mind."

"I don't, sir." said Karimu at Ni.

"Well…" said Simba. "I can't actually keep you here… so goodbye."

With that last word, Ni's pack also left Pride Rock. Both Simba and Nala were sad with seeing them leaving, but they knew the visiting groups couldn't stay around forever.

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On that night, at sunset, Simba decided to accompany the meerkats to Hakuna Matata. But he wasn't completely irresponsible, and organized the duties in the best possible way while he was absent – what would be for only a few days, he hoped. Namely, the patrolling job would go for Tojo and Mega, the two males who were less injured after the battle with the hyenas. Tama, the less injured lioness after the battle, would take the duty of leading the hunting team, because the pregnant Nala couldn't do that duty until her body got used to the pregnancy.

Hyenas were another worry for Pridelanders, because, even with half of the clan having been killed, there was still another half, and the possibility of them repenting for the betrayal was rather big. That was another reason why it would be good to keep Ni and Malka around – these two groups were un-injured at all, because their presence had been mainly intimidatory to Golden Ones. The possibility of both hyenas and Golden Pride returning was big… but they wouldn't probably do it for a rather long time, because they were in far worst condition than Pridelanders.

The main thing that left the pride worried was the condition of some of the older lionesses, Penda and Safura. Both had stood the Great Drought to the end, but suddenly it became unlikely that they would last for too much more time. Almost as if they were expecting the end of the drought to die. Both lionesses seemed to accept the fact, but their pride couldn't, and so, Simba decided to give some orders in an attempt to make sure that his grandmother and grandmother-in-law would have all the possible care.

Even so, Simba decided to leave the Pride Lands for some time, leading the meerkat colony through the eastern desert. However, he promised not to take more time than the strictly necessary. His absence was rather unenjoyed by most of the pride, but it seemed someone wouldn't miss him as much.

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"Mom!" called Hawaa, when she saw Simba going away.

"Yes, honey?" asked Kilia sweetly.

"Is Mr. Simba going away?" asked the tiny cub, confused.

"Uh… yes." said Kilia.

"For good?" asked Hawaa, almost too hopefully.

"Of course not, Hawaa!" said Kilia, seemingly shocked by her daughter's words. "He's going for a day or two, or even three – maybe four – but not more!"

"Crap!" whispered Hawaa. She added louder: "If Mr. Simba went away, Aunt Zira could return with Mr. Scar and Nuka! I want to play with Nuka!"

"Hawaa…" said Kilia tiredly. "I've already explained you. King Scar did bad things, Golden Ones and hyenas as well. We couldn't rid them off before, but with Simba here, we could!"

"I want to play with NUKA!" insisted Hawaa. "I WANT HIM!"

Seeing how sad and heartbroken her daughter was looking, Kilia almost felt remorse for having helped in driving Golden Pride away. But she said: "My dear… you will eventually have more friends…"

"BUT I WANT NUKA!" insisted Hawaa, collapsing on the ground and crying.

Yes, she wanted Nuka. But, as much as it was painful to admit, she had no idea where to find him. So, she would most likely be alone for a good time.

"If only there was some way of escaping him and finding Nuka!" thought Hawaa. "But I can't still survive alone… But once I decide I can, I will try to find Nuka!"

The young cubdidn't see the attitude of Sakia, who was hiding her head, almost in shame.

"Why has a little cub to be braver than me?" thought the lioness. "Will there ever be one hope for me to make up for my betrayal? And even if it happens… will I be brave enough to use it?"

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Someone who was also unappreciating Simba's return was Shani. As she lied down on the ledge that once had been Scar's – and for some time, Kisasian's – she just couldn't help but to keep a secret hope on her heart that Simba wouldn't return. Of course, she didn't want him dead, after all Shani didn't exactly hate her brother, but she wouldn't probably miss him that much, if she could have Kisasian at her side.

"Why do I care, anyway?" thought Shani. "I mean, Kisasian has Adia, he will never accept me! The only way was to say openly that I oppose to Simba and my pride, but they would surely drive me out! And I have no place to go. And Golden Pride wouldn't accept me as well, surely. I should just try to accept my life here with Simba, probably that's the wisest thing to do. To put my past behind me… but putting my past behind me will mean putting behind me some of the most important parts of my life! Oh… why did I have to be so stupid, and just didn't say Kisasian about my whole plan before?"

Unable to think more, Shani just lied down, crying, and licked the cold rock, where she knew that Kisasian had once been sleeping.

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Eventually, after more than a day of walking through the desert, Simba, Timon, Pumbaa, and the meerkat colony had arrived to the magical "Hakuna Matata". The journey was hard, but no meerkat complained, because the paradise was way bigger than they could have ever imagined. Particularly, Ma was absolutely delighted when Timon showed her the paradise.

"Welcome to our new home..." called Timon enthusiastically. "A predator-free environment."

"I gotta hand it to you. Timon." said Ma, turning to her son, feeling very proud of him. "This place has everything!"

"Well, now that we're all here, it does." concluded Timon.

He and Ma climbed to Pumbaa's back, and began walking around, trying to see how the meerkats were reacting to their new found paradise. They were all doing quite well, even Uncle Max, who was leading a session of tai-chi.

/"Digga tunnah – reprise", song. Meerkats are arrayed around a pool, with arms lifted, and they dive one by one as they sing./

_Digga tunnah,_

_Dig, dig a tunnah_

_Never gonna dig another tunnah_

/Camera changes to a chorus line of butterfly wings being swept out of the way of the camera./

_Digga tunnah,_

_Dig, digga tunnah_

_Never more the hyena come!_

/The last butterfly wing is swept out of the way, revealing Timon with a hat full of bugs on his head. Timon begins dancing, and bugs are thrown all around./

_Sing the praises of brave Timon_

/Camera changes to some meerkats, including Uncle Max, relaxing on hammocks./

_Bravest meerkat we've ever known_

/Camera changes to meerkats taking a turn on a trampoline./

_Never dreamed he'd help Simba shine_

/When the meerkats fall, Pumbaa appears thrown into the air by the trampoline./

/Pumbaa: Proved it's cool to hang out with swine!/

/Camera changes to meerkats fishing for bugs under a fallen log, coming out with their mouths full of bugs./

_Accidentally saved the day_

/Camera changes to Timon posing next to Ma./

/Timon: Planned it so it would look that way!/

/Camera zooms out, and we see that Timon and Ma are on Pumbaa's back. Pumbaa begins diving over a series of waterfalls./

_And brought us out of the dirt and sand_

_Led his family to the promised land_

/Camera changes to the two meerkats on Pumbaa's head, as Pumbaa rises out of the water, balanced on Simba's belly as he comes to surface./

_Sing the praises of brave Timon_

_Bravest meerkat we've ever known!_

/Camera zooms out to show several meerkats enjoying several activities, such as swimming, tossing a giant grub like a ball, or hanggliding. Sudden cut to black./

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At the end of the day, the meerkat colony gathered again, saying goodbye to Timon and Pumbaa. Not all the meerkats seemed exactly sorrowful for seeing him leaving, but none was exactly wishing his departue, unlike what used to happen some years before.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Timon?" asked Ma one more time. "You could stay here…"

"Ma." said Timon gently. "Once again, I'll miss you… but I don't think I would fit here too much. But I will come to visit some times. And you are also welcome to come to visit me, Ma."

Then, he walked to Uncle Max, and said: "As for you, Uncle Max… just be careful, OK?"

"Me?" asked Uncle Max grumpily. "You're the one who needs to be careful!"

Timon sighed. It seemed that Uncle Max simply wouldn't ever accept him. But, as he started turning away to Pumbaa, the old meerkat said: "Wait!"

Timon turned to him, trying not to seem too hopeful, but Uncle Max said: "I couldn't let you leave without doing something for you."

With those words, Uncle Max hugged Timon. The young meerkat felt a little bit amazed, but he retributed the hug. Finally, they separated, and then, there was just one point missing: to wait for Simba's return. He had told that he needed to do something, but nobody actually knew where he had gone.

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While Timon was saying goodbye to his family, Simba decided to go to one place, probably for the last time on his life. It was Mkalimu's grave, located on the edge of the jungle.

Simba went to the place, and, like he had done some times before, he sat down close to the mound of earth, and said: "Well… Mkalimu… now I'm actually going away. Now this part of my life is closed, and a new one, with me rulling my father's land, will follow. But I want you to know – I will miss you, and I will never forget what you've done for me. Specially… the last thing you've done for me. Both in death and in life…"

But Simba just didn't manage to keep going, and began sobbing. But, suddenly, some wind blew on his face. The same special wind, with Mkalimu's scent. Simba inhaled deeply, before deciding to go back to Timon, for them to return to the Pride Lands. This part of his life had finished, and eventhough it would always mean something to him, he had to turn to the future.

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_Well, like I said, this is the last chapter. But there will be an epilogue, so, please, stay around! Whatever, what did you think? Please, review! I still need opinions!_


	70. Epilogue: The rise of two kingdoms

_Well... to begin with I'd like to say thanks to all of those that have read my fanfic. Thanks for that. I greatly enjoyed writing it, so it's good to know that at least some of you enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately... this is the end. I present to you the epilogue of Shadows of the Past. I have decided to make it somewhat inconclusive... because it is likely that there will be a sequel. Whatever, I hope that you enjoy. Now that is over, let's begin._

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**Epilogue – The Rise of Two Kingdoms**

Golden Pride entered the Outlands three days after crossing the river, at the sunset. For their first three days out of the Pride Lands, they had been surviving on the carcass of a drowned eland antelope that miraculously came to the river bank. But they all knew that the eland antelope, eventhough it made good enough meals for the Golden Pride for some time, wouldn't last forever. Besides, remaining so close from Border River would mean more dangerous chances of being seen by Pridelanders, who were surely willing to kill them all.

All the Golden Ones – except for Zira, who had spent some long periods of exile there – knew the Outlands only from tales, and they had no actual idea of how bad they were until they saw the place with their own eyes. For them, it was almost like a place taken out of the worst nightmare. Desert was rather unfertile, but the Outlands seemed even worse than it – except for some areas of the desert filled exclusively with sand.

Eventually, Hanja decided to raise their moral, saying: "If Bovu managed to survive here, we also will."

In the beginning, it was sounding rather unbeliavable that a lion was able to live there, but, even if he did, it would be much harder for a whole pride to do it. But currently, it was their only option. They would have to stay there for at least some months. Surely in some months many things could happen to Shakisa and Yakta, but Zira, Arista, and some of the older members of the pride kept sure that Uzuri wouldn't let anyone to kill Shakisa and Yakta, so their survival was the only point concerning them at the moment.

Eventually, the Golden Pride ended up facing a surprisingly giant termite mound.

"Ow… even most of termites seem not to have survived the Great Drought." said Arista.

"No." replied Zira. "This mound is dead an unhabited since the last time I saw it… but that was many years ago. Someone should go check it out."

After a small talking, Kisasian was once again the one advancing to the termite mound. Meanwhile, his younger brother watched the giant nest in amazement.

"Wow!" said Nuka, completely awed. "All those termites made this alone?"

"Yes." said Arista. "But they have years… maybe even centuries to do it."

"They're patient!" exclaimed Nuka.

"Sssh!" hushed Zira. "Not so loud, Nuka. You'll wake up Vitani and Kovu!"

"Oh, sorry." whispered the cub.

Meanwhile, Kisasian had advanced to inside the giant termite mound. Once he got inside it, he looked around. Inside it there was just an empty space, full of air. Kisasian was feeling nothing unusual. He looked above, but he saw just a vent. It had once been made by termites to keep their home ventilated, but termites were gone and the system was still working, giving them enough fresh air to breath.

Kisasian looked to the centre of the main chamber and noticed something that surprised him – a small dead tree trunk, looking like some kind of seat, or even of bed.

"Well, it can be used as a bed for Vitani and Kovu." thought Kisasian. "Maybe even for Nuka… but no, he wouldn't fit in that space with Vitani and Kovu there."

In a last attempt to check out if there was something unusual, Kisasian sniffed the air. And he found something that rather scared him – the scent of rotting meat. Looking better around, he saw some skeletons through the nest's ground. Someone should have lived there before. And, as he sniffed and looked around the cave with some more attention, he discovered that his mother was right – at least partially. Someone had used that cave as a home before. Who, it wasn't completely clear, but after looking carefully around, Kisasian sniffed at least three different scents: two of lions – rather recent, they should have no more from two weeks to a month – and of a lioness – but the last one was much older, as if the lioness had not been there for some years. Looking on the ground, there were also the pawprints of two lions. At first, they almost passed through footprints of the same lion, but after close examinations, Kisasian saw that two lions – different, but possibly related – had been there. But the footprints were as old as the scents.

Without finding anything else unusual, Kisasian ran to his mother, to tell her what he had discovered.

"What?" asked Zira, confused. "It's occupied?"

"Yes." said Kisasian. "Or at least, it was 'till about two weeks to a month ago."

Looking worried, Zira advanced to the mound, followed by her whole pride. After entering the mound, she indeed noticed the old bones through the ground, but she didn't care much for it. Zira walked directly to the trunk – that she called "Golden Throne" shortly after – and made a signal to Imani and Sifia to place there the sleeping Kovu and Vitani.

Meanwhile, Hanja was still sniffing the termite mound all around.

"What are you looking for?" asked Sparthi, confused.

Hanja didn't reply for a while, but finally, he raised his head of the ground, and said: "Bovu."

"What?" asked Adia, amazed. "What does that mean?"

"This was Bovu's old keep." explained Hanja. "He told me that he lived on the Outlands – he has been living here, until he died."

Well, this made the pride more relaxed – at least the occupier of the place wouldn't return now to chase them out. But there was another problem, that Kisasian noticed.

"Who can be the lion and the lioness that lived with him?" asked Scar's son to himself, intrigued.

But, because no one had voiced that one out, he decided not to worry them with such a question. They already had enough worries for a lifetime. Besides, Zira had sat down for a speech that her whole pride heard obediently. Even Kovu and Vitani seemed to wake up purposefully to hear.

"Pride." she called with firm voice. "We will use that place as our temporary keep. We will stay here at least for some months. I know – some months is quite some time, but we need to train for battle, if we want to release Shakisa on the first try. We also need a reinforcement on our pride. That can be obtained from a rogue pack. I know it is unusual, but we have no other choice. So, today, a new kingdom rises. The Pride Lands are rising, but the Outlands are as well. From now on, we are Outlanders, until we have reconquered the throne for its rightful heir!"

She pointed to Kovu with her paw, and said: "After Kovu is back on the throne, we will be Golden Pride again. Are you with me?"

The whole pride roared in approval.

/"Different ways" song. Imagine a solemn tune, appropriate to verses. Camera zooms in Outlanders. Zira divides the pride into two teams, and they leave, except Kisasian and Adia, who stay with, Nuka, Vitani and Kovu. Camera allows us to see the sleeping Vitani and Kovu, on the trunk, Nuka, on the ground, and Kisasian and Adia, looking at them. The cubs have a peaceful sleeping face, but Kisasian and Adia are worried, as if they were thinking about their recent problems. Song begins./

First verse:

_From the moment we've taken our duties_

_In this journey towards future days_

_We have also picked responsibilities_

_As we can't be so sure of life's ways_

/Camera changes to somewhere in the Outlands, where Zira is leading her own hunting group, seemingly without success. Zira stops, and they all obey. For some time, they look to somewhere. Camera sees as if the lions are looking somewhere behind and aside the camera./

_And if even it takes best of us_

_We must give best to greet coming year_

_And in future we all have to trust_

_For we will better than once we were_

/Camera changes to the Pride Lands. The savannah is green, but it's not anymore soaked, so we can assume that some time has passed./

Chorus:

_We all have different ways_

_That we must walk through_

_Sometimes we stop in daze_

_Looking back on the life we threw_

/Camera changes to Pride Rock, where we can see Simba and Nala carrying the body of Penda to a pile of rocks that will cover the lioness's body. Sarabi and Sabini are walking behind Simba, crying./

_It's so hard to accept it all_

_Easier is to hope in vain_

_But we can't keep world in control_

_As our lives we can change_

/Camera once again advances in time. This time, Simba and Nala are carrying Safura's body to another grave. Nala's belly is much bigger, so we can assume that her pregnancy is way more advanced. We can see Leo and Sarafina walking behind the royal couple, crying./

Second verse:

_Sometimes life may be cruel_

_But it is how the world works goes_

_As it follows a certain rules_

_To keep us from these worse_

/Camera once again changes further in time, with Simba and Nala looking at a cub in Nala's paws./

_There is always a ray of light_

/We see Nala moving her lips as if she is asking something, and after we hear Simba whispering "His name will be Kopa".Then, Simba and Nala nuzzle each other./

_Even at gloomy day_

_Our ways aren't always right_

_But they are what we made_

/Change to the ending scene, with the animals cheering Simba. We see Zazu giving a turn around Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa, who are on the edge of Pride Rock. Timon raises his hands in cheering./

Chorus:

_We all have different ways_

_That we must walk through_

_Sometimes we stop in daze_

_Looking back on the life we threw_

/Camera changes to Simba and Nala, nuzzling each other. Then, they make way to leave Rafiki pass with newborn Kopa on the arms./

_But we must be prepared_

_For the ways that may come _

_And we may be scared_

_Of what our ways may become_

/Rafiki raises newborn Kopa to the sky. Sudden cut to black and to the ending credits./

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_Well... so this is it. What did you think of it? Please, review! This is the epilogue... but I still need opinions! Well... I'm going soon. But, before going, I'd like to say some final words. _

_Thanks to Disney, for producing the masterpiece that The Lion King and it's sequels are. _

_Thanks to TakaPL, for the support, for allowing me to use some of his characters and motives that I enjoyed more, for some useful advices, and for making me to look on The Lion King universe from a different perspective. _

_Thanks to Cogitor, for some advices. _

_Thanks to MinisterSweetGoodKid, for the moral support. _

_Thanks to TakaPL, Jagabor, s-s-l, Airezi, Ssiem, spand, Kovukono, hikari123, searing light dragon, Elven Warrior Princess, and any other user that I may have forgotten or that may come in the future, for reviewing this fanfic._

_Thanks to all those who read._

_Well, goodbye. I hope to eventually come back with a sequel... but I'm not sure when that will happen. With enough luck, it will be soon... but maybe it isn't. Goodbye to everyone, and my best wishes for you. 'Till my return. Now, here are the only two missing words._

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**THE END**


	71. Chapter 71: Author's note

Hello, readers. Well, I know the site doesn't really like author's notes, but I sort of had to post this one.

You may be wondering why I'm posting this, but well… the truth is that, since I finished writing this story, I've quite evolved as a writer… and while I don't find this fanfic was bad for a first try, now that I've evolved I see a lot of things I could've done better. So, I've been thinking about improving this before moving on to a sequel. But first, I want your opinion. Would any of you like to see an improved version of this fanfic? And if such, is there any particular point you'd like to see improved/changed/better developed/removed?

Please, tell me your answers through review or through PM.


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